Summary
The UK is a nation of pet lovers. Approximately one in two households owns a pet amounting to around 21 million pets in all (excluding fish), including 8.5 million dogs and 7.5 million cats. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 provides for the welfare of all kept animals. In addition, a number of older pieces of legislation regulate particular animal activities, including breeding and sale. Our report focused on dogs, cats and horses.
We found that there are many flaws in the legislation, from licensing through enforcement and to sale, which lead to inadequate protection of animals. We have focused on the need for transparency, traceability and enforcement through the supply chain.
The Committee’s key recommendations and conclusions are:
- We recommend that the Government set out a timetable for the secondary legislation that was foreseen ten years ago in the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
- We recommend that the Government pass regulations to protect the genetic viability and welfare of offspring as well as adult dogs.
- We recommend that anyone breeding two litters or more per year should be licensed as a breeder.
- Breeders have an important responsibility to provide for the social development and broader welfare requirements for puppies in their care. We recommend that the legislation governing the breeding of dogs should be updated with a licensing regime based on modern welfare standards.
- We recommend that a national inspectorate should be established to liaise and support local authorities in enforcing the licensing regime, undertaking inspections and dealing with complaints.
- The Pet Travel Scheme is providing a vehicle for the illegal importation of puppies. The Government must ensure that negotiations regarding our future relationship with Europe include this issue. The age at which dogs are allowed to enter the United Kingdom under the PETS system should be increased to six months, thereby reducing their commercial value to smugglers.
- We recommend that the Government ban third party sale of dogs. Dogs should only be available from licensed, regulated breeders or approved rehoming organisations.
- We recommend that the Pet Advertising Advisory Group’s minimum standards should be made mandatory for all websites where pets are advertised and sold.
- We recommend that the Government make it compulsory that all internet advertisements should include the registration or licence number of the seller.
- We recommend that the Government place a statutory duty on local authorities to enforce the Animal Welfare Act. The Government must ensure that appropriate resources are made available to local authorities to support them in this extension of their statutory duties.
- The Committee recommends that the RSPCA should continue its important work investigating animal welfare cases and working closely with the police and statutory authorities. It should, however, withdraw from acting as a prosecutor of first resort where there are statutory bodies with a duty to carry out this role. We are not convinced by its arguments that it is in a better position than the CPS to prosecute animal welfare cases.
- The current penalties for animal welfare cases in England are amongst the lowest in Europe. We recommend that the maximum penalty is increased to five years.
- We recommend that the Government examines the potential for the establishment of an animal abuse register of those convicted of animal cruelty offences and who have been disqualified from keeping animals.
11 November 2016