Write to your MP

Dear [MP’s name],

I am writing as your constituent to ask you to support an end to the use of farrowing crates in the UK.

The Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy commits to moving away from the use of farrowing crates, but this commitment has yet to be translated into concrete action. I am concerned that, without a clear timetable and decisive steps towards implementation, thousands of sows will continue to be confined in these restrictive systems.

Farrowing crates severely limit a sow’s movement during the period around giving birth. Sows can spend around 22% of their adult breeding lives in these crates, where they may be unable to turn around or carry out natural behaviours such as rooting, nest-building and interacting freely with their piglets. Confinement on hard, slatted floors can also contribute to painful wounds and sores on their legs, feet and shoulders.

Although countries including Norway, Sweden and Switzerland have prohibited this practice, around 200,000 sows in the UK -approximately 60% of the national sow population- are still kept in farrowing crates each year.

Ending the use of these crates need not come at the expense of piglet welfare. Practical alternatives already exist, including systems developed by British farmers and engineers. The UK-developed PigSAFE system, which received some Defra funding, is one example. Evidence from well-designed and well-managed free-farrowing systems shows that piglet mortality can be as low as, or lower than, in conventional crates.

I urge you to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and call for the Government to set out a clear timetable and take action to end the use of farrowing crates.

Best wishes,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Dear (name of MP),

I am writing to ask you to support the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill which has recently entered the House of Lords. Ending live exports for fattening and slaughter was included in the Conservative Manifesto and Defra’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare.

With a General Election this year, I am keen to ensure this important Bill becomes law as soon as possible. I therefore ask you to actively support the Bill’s stages however possible, to prevent the cruelty of live exports from continuing in the future.

Historically the UK has exported thousands of sheep and calves abroad to France and as far afield as Spain. Overcrowding means that some cannot lie down at all, while those who do may be injured or trampled to death. They can be in transit for days, suffering extremes of temperature and often without sufficient food, water or rest. Please end live exports for fattening and slaughter for good.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Your name

Your Address.

Dear [MP’s name],

I am writing as your constituent to ask you to support an end to the use of cages for egg-laying hens in the UK.

The Government launched a public consultation on phasing out cages for laying hens almost a year ago. However, a consultation must be followed by a clear response and a plan for action. Every year that progress is delayed, millions of hens continue to be kept in cages that severely restrict their ability to express natural behaviours, including nesting, foraging and spreading their wings.

Other European countries have already taken legislative steps to end the use of enriched cages for laying hens, including Luxembourg, Austria, Germany, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The UK should show leadership on animal welfare rather than risk falling behind.

I urge you to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and call for a clear timetable and decisive action to phase out cages for laying hens.

Best wishes,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Dear [MP’s name],

I am writing as your constituent to ask you to support the introduction of clear, mandatory method-of-production labelling for animal products.

At present, with the exception of shell eggs, there is no general legal requirement for animal products to be labelled with clear information about the farming system in which the animals were reared. This makes it difficult for consumers to understand how the food they buy has been produced and to make informed choices in line with their values.

Animal welfare is an important consideration for many shoppers. Yet food labels can be confusing and inconsistent, leaving consumers without the information they need to distinguish between different farming systems or to choose products produced to higher welfare standards.

The labelling system already used for shell eggs demonstrates the value of clear method-of-production information. It enables consumers to identify different production systems and gives them the opportunity to support farmers who invest in higher welfare practices.

Clear, consistent and mandatory labelling across animal products would help consumers make informed decisions, improve transparency and support a market in which higher welfare farming can be recognised and rewarded.

I urge you to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to express your support for mandatory method-of-production labelling.

Best wishes,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Dear (Your MP’s name),

I am writing to you to ask for your support for a ban on the consumption of dog meat in the UK.

I fully appreciate the UK laws and regulations surrounding meat classification and the slaughtering of dogs prohibit its production and consumption in a commercial setting. I also understand that it is illegal to sell dog and cat meat for human consumption and that there is no evidence of people either trading dog or cat meat or indeed eating it in the UK. However, the fact remains, it is still legal for an individual to kill a dog or cat in the UK and to eat it.

I support the campaign to close this loophole in the law. The UK’s leadership in animal welfare is held in very high esteem across the world. If we were to introduce this ban, it would have a tremendously positive effect on the campaigns to ban this horrific practice in countries where it takes place. The recent US ban made huge waves across the world especially as they too don’t have a problem of dog or cat meat eating.

The US has banned the slaughter (i.e. killing) of a dog or cat for human consumption as well as possession of dog and cat meat. That goes for anyone, not just those who are undertaking it commercially. This was made very clear in the recent letters to the Prime Minister from the US Congressmen who brought the law into the US. The recent US regulations therefore go beyond those of the UK. Through this legislation, the US has joined the ranks of Germany, Austria, Taiwan, South Australia and Hong Kong, all of which have bans in place.

There is a strong depth of feeling in Parliament to enact a ban. 22 Conservative MPs supported Giles Watling’s amendment to the Agriculture Bill with additional support from Labour, DUP, SNP and Plaid MPs.

Bill Wiggin MP led a 10 Minute Rule Bill and Jim Shannon MP a Westminster Hall debate in 2019.

The dog meat trade internationally is an exceptionally cruel and outdated practice, resulting in the torment and torture of millions of animals each year. As a nation of animal lovers, and a global leader in animal welfare, we must call out this horrific industry to signal to countries where there is more of a problem, that consuming dog meat should not be tolerated.

It is for these reasons that I urge the Government to deeply consider enacting a ban. As you will have seen from coverage in The Sun and Daily Express it has widespread popular support. Bringing in a ban would be hugely supported and gain little opposition and along with the other excellent laws our Government have been undertaking recently in animal welfare, will help tremendously the UK’s leading international position.

If the UK was to enact a ban on the human consumption of dog meat, it would send a powerful signal that these practices are not acceptable anywhere in the world. The UK’s approach  to animal welfare is recognised the world over, with many countries adopting the Uk’s model when looking to strengthen their animal welfare laws.

Thank you once again for your consideration of this issue and I hope you will add your support for a ban on dog meat consumption in the UK.

Best wishes

Your name

Your Address.

Dear (name of MP),

I am writing to you as a constituent to ask you to attend and support the Second Reading of John Spellar MP’s Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill on 22nd March. I have deep concern regarding the lack of progress in delivering this Manifesto commitment, following the fall of a similar Bill led by Henry Smith MP last year. While I know Fridays are typically difficult for MPs to attend in Parliament, I would like to urge you to make an exception to see this important Bill pass.

Every year that the UK allows trophy hunting imports, we are implicitly condoning the actions of those who kill iconic and often endangered species for pleasure, including rhinos, polar bears and elephants.

In 2019 the Government committed to bring in the toughest trophy hunting rules in the world, following the General Election Manifesto. I urge you to help keep this promise and look forward to hearing your assurance that you will be able to support the Second Reading in March.

Best wishes

Your name

Your Address

Dear [MP’s name],

I am writing as your constituent to urge you to support an end to the breeding of ‘frankenchickens’ — broiler chickens selected to grow unnaturally quickly and to reach very large body sizes.

More than a billion broiler chickens are raised and slaughtered for meat in the UK each year. Through selective breeding, some modern broiler breeds can grow around four times faster than chickens did in the 1950s. This rapid growth places considerable strain on their bodies and is associated with serious welfare problems, including lameness and difficulty walking.

These birds are commonly kept in intensive indoor conditions, at stocking densities of around 16–19 birds per square metre. Large quantities of faeces accumulate on the floor of their sheds, creating high levels of ammonia and damp conditions that can cause painful hock burns and other skin lesions.

Slower-growing breeds offer a practical way to improve the lives of broiler chickens by reducing the physical problems associated with extreme growth rates. The Government should support a transition away from breeds selected for unnaturally rapid growth and towards slower-growing breeds with better welfare outcomes.

I urge you to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and call for action to end the use of fast-growing broiler breeds and support the adoption of slower-growing alternatives.

Best wishes,
[Your name]
[Your address]

Dear [MP’s name],

I am writing as your constituent to urge you to support stronger legal protections for fish and other aquatic animals.

An estimated 77 million fish are farmed in the UK each year, while a further 1.5–2.7 billion are caught from the wild. Despite these enormous numbers, legal protections for fish welfare remain limited. This is particularly concerning given that fish and decapod crustaceans are recognised as sentient animals under the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022.

Scientific evidence for fish sentience has been established for more than two decades, and public concern about the welfare of fish is growing. 76% of people in the UK believe fish welfare should be safeguarded to the same extent as the welfare of other animals farmed for food. Yet the law does not currently provide fish with equivalent protections.

There have been important developments that should now be translated into action. In 2023, the Government’s Animal Welfare Committee published its updated Opinion on the Welfare of Farmed Fish at the Time of Killing. The Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy also includes a commitment to address the welfare of farmed fish.

I urge you to write to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and call on the Government to strengthen fish welfare legislation and set out clear steps for delivering its commitments.

Best wishes,
[Your name]
[Your address]