Thank you for contacting me about the Kept Animals Bill. I share your concerns and am keen to see this Bill progress as soon as possible.
I welcome that the Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare sets out the Government’s vision to introduce a range of world-leading reforms to improve the welfare and conservation of animals at home and abroad.
I understand that live animals can endure excessively long journeys during export, causing distress and injury. EU rules prevented any changes to these journeys, but the UK Government is now free to pursue plans which would see a ban on the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening. This Bill will ensure that the UK is the first European country to end this practice.
I am working closely with Ministers regarding the option of a mobile abattoir for the Isle of Wight, thus reducing the need for livestock being transported long distances.
Concerns have been raised about Primates being kept as pets. Primates are highly intelligent wild animals with complicated welfare needs, and require open spaces, varied diets, social contact and plenty of warmth and light. A recent call for evidence found that these complex needs cannot be met in a home environment. I believe that we must therefore take action to prevent the suffering caused to these creatures. Ministers have now confirmed that they will legislate to prohibit primates as pets. I am aware that keepers who are able to provide welfare standards akin to those of licensed zoos will be able to keep their primates under a new licensing regime, subject to conditions and inspections. Ownership of these exotic animals with complex needs will be phased out for keepers unable to meet these standards. Further, Ministers will place a ban on the sale, or otherwise transferring of primates apart from to persons holding a relevant licence. I understand that a relevant licence would include a Zoo licence, an Animals (Scientific Procedures) licence and a new ‘specialist private primate keeper’ licence. It is welcome that the new prohibitions and licensing regime is being introduced through legislation in the Kept Animals Bill.
Through the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, new powers will be introduced to tackle the unethical trade of puppy smuggling by reducing the number of pets that can travel under pet travel rules. The Bill will also include powers to bring in further restrictions on the movement of pets on welfare grounds, for example by increasing the minimum age of imported puppies and restricting the import of pregnant dogs and dogs with mutilations such as cropped ears and tails. This Bill has now passed its Committee stage, and I look forward to supporting this Bill as it continues to make its way through Parliament.
After a change in the law in 2018, anyone who is breeding dogs and advertising a business of selling dogs and/or who breeds three or more litters in a twelve-month period needs a licence from their local authority. All licensees must adhere to strict minimum animal welfare standards and local authorities have powers to grant, refuse or revoke a licence.
Finally, the ban of commercial third-party sale of puppies and kittens in England came into force in 2020. This prohibits pet shops, pet dealers and other commercial outlets from selling these animals in England unless they themselves have bred them. It means anyone looking to get a puppy or kitten must buy direct from a breeder or consider adopting from a rescue centre instead.
Good progress has been made over the past twenty years to improve animal welfare including the banning of both fur farming and the production of foie gras from ducks or geese using force-feeding, but there is still more that can be done.
I am very keen to see this Bill progress through Parliament. It promises to bring in some of the world’s strongest protections for pets, livestock and kept wild animals. I am working with The Wildheart Trust which is, among other things, seeking an amendment to the Bill to include the banning of breeding exotic felids with domestic cats.
I have written to the Environment Secretary, George Eustice, to ask if he could indicate when the Bill will return to the Commons for its Report Stage.
Thank you for taking the time to contact me.
