It is unlawful to use a computer or digital network to orchestrate a dog kidnapping.

The Law Explained

As the internet became mainstream in the 1990s, lawmakers rushed to criminalize cybercrimes, including the digital facilitation of dognapping. This law upgraded an old-school property crime into a high-tech felony if a dial-up modem was involved. It is a perfect snapshot of early cyber-panic colliding with pet protection.