LONDON, 26th April 2022
The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation (CAWF) has welcomed a carry over motion for the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill which passed in the House of Commons yesterday evening. The motion will ensure the Bill is continued in the next Parliament.
The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill was first introduced in the House of Commons on 21st June 2021 and forms a key part of the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare.
Crucially, it includes a ban on live exports for slaughter and fattening, a measure the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation has long campaigned for. Live animals can endure long journeys during export, and often suffer distress and injury in the process. This Bill would make Great Britain the first country in Europe to end this practice.
In addition, the Bill would:
- Introduce new powers to tackle the trade of puppy smuggling by reducing the number of pets (dogs, cats and ferrets) that can travel under pet travel rules and restricting the movement of pets on welfare grounds.
- Ban keeping primates as pets, ensuring that all primates being kept privately in England are kept at zoo-level standards.
- Establish new powers to tackle livestock worrying. The Bill will give new powers to the police to provide greater protection to livestock from dangerous and out of control dogs.
- Strengthen the Zoo Licensing Act to ensure that zoos contribute to conservation.
The CAWF report on banning live exports can be found here. You can read more about the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill here.
Lorraine Platt, Co-Founder of Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, commented:
“We are pleased that this flagship legislation to strengthen the welfare of pets, livestock and wild animals will continue in the next Parliament.
The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill critically delivers on a live export ban for fattening and slaughter, a measure which will impact the lives of many farmed animals reared in Great Britain. During export, livestock suffer long and uncomfortable journeys in cramped conditions – only to reach destination countries which may not share our regard for farming standards. Great Britain will become the first country in Europe to end this practice, and in doing so will truly set itself apart as a global leader in animal welfare.
Having recently celebrated the passage of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill through Parliament, we must now ensure that other important legislation included in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare is not left behind. We look forward to continuing to support this Bill when it returns in the next Parliament.”
