About two million dogs were stolen in the U.S. last year according to the American Kennel Club, and a bill that’s cleared the Iowa House would establish legal ways someone can prove their dog is truly their dog. Representative Samantha Fett of Carlisle says a rabies tag, imprinted with a number unique to the dog, is currently the only accepted indicator of who owns a dog.
The vast majority of pets are stolen by people who intend to resell them at a profit. If the bill passes the Senate and is signed by the governor, anyone convicted of falsely claiming to own a dog could be fined up to $855 and sentenced to 30 days in jail.
The bill passed the House by a nearly unanimous vote. Representative Charley Thomson of Charles City was the only House member to vote against the plan.
