BBC MORNING LIVE PRESENTERS ISSUE 'DEVASTATING' ANNOUNCEMENT MINUTES INTO SHOW

Presenters Louise Minchin and Gethin Jones on BBC Morning Live were left shocked by "devastating" footage just moments into today's broadcast.

The pair had been discussing an increase in pet thefts when Rav Wilding highlighted the distress facing some pet owners after video of a cat named Nora being snatched from her doorstep became widely shared online.

Opening the segment, Gethin said: "Pets are thought of as part of our family for so many owners, so the idea of them being stolen from right outside our homes doesn't bear thinking about."

Louise agreed, responding: "It really doesn't," before viewers were shown clips of the feline being lifted from her front doorstep by someone wearing a high-vis jacket and carried away from the property.

She remarked: "It's absolutely devastating to see that sort of thing," reports the Mirror.

Via video link, presenter Rav then broke down why these distressing thefts might be occurring and offered advice on prevention.

He explained: "The delivery driver actually picks up the cat and leaves with it. We don't know why; we don't know what the reason was behind it, but imagine the devastation for that family."

Fortunately, he added, following an "agonising" three-day ordeal, Nora was reunited with her owners.

However, he cautioned: "But it does go to show how quickly these things happen, pet theft, it does seem to be on the rise, sadly, and it's going to be of huge concern to a lot of people," Rav went on: "In the case of dogs, only one in five stolen dogs actually leads to it being reunited with its rightful owner, so it's a horrible thing to think about."

"It is rare, but it does happen," he added, before outlining the measures that could be implemented to prevent such dreadful incidents.

Gethin questioned: "Rav, I just don't understand why someone would want to steal a pet?" clearly appalled by the notion.

Rav clarified: "It's an awful thought, the reason tends to be money, that's the first one."

He disclosed that certain dogs can fetch upwards of £3,000, with French and English bulldogs ranking amongst the most frequently targeted breeds across the UK.

"Not only are they worth a lot of money, but to a criminal, if they were to breed those dogs, they're going to make substantially more, so that's sadly one of the main reasons these animals are stolen, for financial gain.

"There is also, I'm going to have to say this, another awful reason why dogs have been stolen in the past, this has happened, it is rare but it has happened, and that is to be involved in the illegal fighting dog community, that's just a terrifying thought for any animal to be involved in that, it's wrong on every level but it has been known as to why animals are stolen for that purpose as well."

Louise responded: "Anybody who has got a pet hearing this will be absolutely horrified."

Rav proceeded to offer advice for pet owners on how to prevent theft, suggesting measures such as microchipping animals with current contact information, varying walking routes regularly, and avoiding leaving pets unsupervised for extended periods either at home or in vehicles.

Morning Live airs weekdays from 9.30am on BBC One and iPlayer.

2026-02-04T11:25:33Z