1. a person who steals a pet animal, typically a dog or cat, often for ransom or resale
Usage: informal; usually used in plural form 'petnappers'

Examples

• The police arrested the petnappers who had stolen several dogs from the neighborhood.
• Pet owners are warned to be cautious of petnappers who target expensive breeds.
• The reward poster offered $5,000 for information leading to the capture of the petnappers.
• Petnappers often operate in organized rings, selling stolen animals to unsuspecting buyers.
• Security cameras helped identify the petnappers who took the family's golden retriever.