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Select Committee · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee

Pet welfare and abuse

Status: Closed Opened: 3 Feb 2023 Closed: 23 May 2024 16 recommendations 12 conclusions 1 report

This inquiry is considering the post-pandemic health and welfare concerns of companion animals, including abuse and mutilation. Read the call for evidence Our call for evidence closed on 14 April 2023.

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - Pet welfare and abuse HC 161 5 Apr 2024 28 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

3 items
20 Recommendation Second Report - Pet welfare and abuse Accepted in Part

Implement specific measures limiting pet imports and banning puppies, kittens, and late-term pregnant animals.

As soon as possible, and certainly by the end of the current Parliament, the Government must ensure the following measures are implemented: • A limit on the number of dogs, cats and ferrets that can be imported by an individual into the UK from five per person to five per … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts, supporting a Private Members’ Bill that will limit pet imports per vehicle/passenger and give powers to prohibit the import of puppies and kittens under six months, heavily pregnant animals, and those with non-exempted mutilations.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
27 Recommendation Second Report - Pet welfare and abuse Accepted in Part

Lax border controls facilitate fraudulent equine trade for European slaughterhouses.

We welcome the introduction of new legislation to ban the export of live animals, including cattle, sheep and horses, for slaughter and fattening. There is a low risk and high reward element to the equine trade, with unscrupulous individuals taking advantage of lax border controls to move equines on fraudulent … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges concerns and partially accepts the recommendation. While progress on a digitized equine identification system is delayed due to financial pressures, the government has banned the export of livestock and horses for slaughter from Great Britain and is working with industry to prevent …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
28 Recommendation Second Report - Pet welfare and abuse Accepted in Part

Implement enhanced digital equine identification measures to prevent trafficking of horses for slaughter.

Alongside the ongoing Animal Welfare (Live Exports) Bill, stronger control measures are needed to prevent the trafficking of horses for slaughter. By the end of the current Parliament, the Government should ensure it has implemented measures to enhance and support digital equine identification. This will help improve traceability. (Paragraph 114) … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government partially accepts the recommendation to enhance digital equine identification. Due to public finance pressures, it is currently unable to progress with the delivery of a digitised system but is considering interim measures to improve the current regime.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
28 Nov 2023 Marc Casale · Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, The Rt Hon Lord Benyon · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs View ↗
18 Oct 2023 David Martin · Featured Artists Coalition, Dr Lawrence Newport · Royal Holloway University of London, Dr Samantha Gaines · RSPCA, James McNally · Slee Blackwell Solicitors View ↗
17 Oct 2023 David Holdsworth · Animal and Plant Health Agency, Gavin Stedman · Heathrow Animal Reception Centre, John Keefe · Getlink (Eurotunnel), Nicola Hirst · Animal and Plant Health Agency, Steve Lawrie · Brittany Ferries, Tim Reardon · Port of Dover View ↗
5 Sep 2023 Alexandra Baker · Pet Industry Federation, Bill Lambert · The Kennel Club, Dr Gudrun Ravetz · Pets at Home, Dr Samantha Gaines · RSPCA, Marisa Heath · Local Government and Animal Welfare Group, Pip Griffin · Worcestershire Regulatory Services View ↗
4 Jul 2023 Becky Thwaites · Blue Cross, Dr Justine Shotton · British Veterinary Association, Dr Maggie Roberts · Cats Protection, Dr Melisa Donald · Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Dr Paula Boyden · Dogs Trust, Dr Sean Wensley · PDSA, Jessica Stark · World Horse Welfare, Sarah Carr · Naturewatch Foundation View ↗

Who gave evidence

25 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Dr Samantha Gaines · Head of Companion Animals RSPCA 2
Alexandra Baker · Chief Operating Officer Pet Industry Federation 1
Becky Thwaites · Head of Public Affairs Blue Cross 1
Bill Lambert · Health Welfare and Breeder Services Executive The Kennel Club 1
David Holdsworth · Chief Executive Animal and Plant Health Agency 1
David Martin · Chief Executive Featured Artists Coalition 1
Dr Gudrun Ravetz · Chief Veterinary Officer Pets at Home 1
Dr Justine Shotton · Senior Vice President British Veterinary Association 1
Dr Lawrence Newport · Lecturer in Law Royal Holloway University of London 1
Dr Maggie Roberts · Director of Feline Welfare Cats Protection 1
Dr Melisa Donald · Council Member Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons 1
Dr Paula Boyden · Veterinary Director Dogs Trust 1
Dr Sean Wensley · Senior Veterinary Surgeon for Animal Welfare and … PDSA 1
Gavin Stedman · Director Port Health & Public Protection Heathrow Animal Reception Centre 1
James McNally · Partner Slee Blackwell Solicitors 1
Jessica Stark · Director of Communications & Public Affairs World Horse Welfare 1
John Keefe · Chief Corporate and Public Affairs Officer Getlink (Eurotunnel) 1
Marc Casale · Deputy Director for Animal Welfare Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs 1
Marisa Heath · Adviser Local Government and Animal Welfare Group 1
Nicola Hirst · Director for Service Delivery Animal and Plant Health Agency 1
Pip Griffin · Senior Dog Warden Worcestershire Regulatory Services 1
Sarah Carr · CEO Naturewatch Foundation 1
Steve Lawrie · Port Operations Manager, Group Pet Travel Coordin… Brittany Ferries 1
The Rt Hon Lord Benyon · Minister of State Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1
Tim Reardon · Head of EU Exit and Company Secretary Port of Dover 1

Correspondence

5 letters
DateDirectionTitle
30 Apr 2024 — Correspondence from Lord Benyon regarding corrections to the Pet welfare and ab…
25 Apr 2024 — Lord Douglas-Miller, Minister for Biosecurity, Animal Health and Welfare, regar…
14 Dec 2023 — Correspondence to Rt Hon Lord Benyon MP regarding the Government’s ban on XL Bu…
18 Oct 2023 — Correspondence from the Chief Veterinary Officer of Pets at Home following her …
29 Mar 2023 To cttee Letter from the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries to the Committee rega…