Animal Welfare Act

Apr- 2021 -

30 April

Animal abusers face tougher sentencing as Animal Welfare Bill passes

Animal abusers in England and Wales are set to face tougher sentences in the wake of a new law being passed. Yesterday (29 April), The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill received Royal Assent and was passed into law. The bill increases the maximum sentencing under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 from…

Feb- 2021 -

16 February

Government & Legislation

Kennel Club welcomes stricter penalties on pet theft

Kennel Club has welcomed the announcement by home secretary Priti Patel that stricter penalties for pet theft will be introduced to prevent further crimes from happening. The dog health and welfare organisation has long pushed for amends to the Animal Welfare Act to make pet theft a specific offence. Dr.…

10 February

Charities

RSPCA warns of dog ear cropping rise

The RSPCA has warned about a surge in the illegal practice of dog ear cropping over the past year. The latest figures released this week by the charity has shown a 621% increase in the number of reports of ear cropping in the last six years. From 2015 to 2020,…

4 February

Charities

RSPCA Cymru relieved Animal Welfare Bill passes committee stage

RSPCA Cymru has expressed its relief that the Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill has passed its committee stage. The charity has been calling for tougher sentencing for the worst animal abusers for years – and hopes that MPs from across the parties will come together to pass the Bill for the…

2 February

Charities

RSPCA gives ‘cautious welcome’ to Welsh puppy selling regulation

The RSPCA has said it is giving a “cautious welcome” to new regulations laid by the Welsh government which aim to end third party selling of young puppies and kittens in Wales. Under the new proposals, anyone who wants to sell pets in Wales has to meet minimum animal welfare…

Jun- 2020 -

29 June

Charities

RSPCA outlines restructuring, 300 jobs at risk

The RSPCA has confirmed it is restructuring some of its services in line with its ten-year strategy to make the group “sustainable for the future”. In addition, 300 RSPCA jobs are now facing redundancy in light of the “critical” financial pressures the group is currently facing. It comes as the…

May- 2020 -

20 May

Coronavirus

PIF launches online Covid-19 course for businesses

The Pet Industry Federation (PIF) has launched an online Covid-19 course for businesses in order to provide information and guidance on safety during the pandemic. The Disease Control for Pet Professionals certificate has been developed by industry specialists, and will help business owners meet suitable hygiene and social distancing protocols.…

Jan- 2020 -

24 January

Charities

Breeder receives lifetime ban for ear-cropping

A celebrity dog breeder has been banned from keeping dogs for life and ordered to pay more than £10,000 after he admitted to taking part in illegally cropping puppies’ ears. Breeder Simon Davis mutilated the puppies’ ears, then sold them on for thousands of pounds to customers including Little Mix…

Mar- 2019 -

22 March

Current Affairs

Vets criticise ITV for ‘lax animal welfare standards’

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has sent an open letter to the producers of ITV reality series, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here voicing concerns around the welfare of animals used on the show. The flagged concerns include the apparent mistreatment of a pair of snakes in the…

Jan- 2019 -

30 January

Trade Organisations

PFMA produces Animal Welfare Framework

Marking the end of the first year of Pet Food Manufacturing Association’s (PFMA) Pet Food Vision initiative with its focus on animal welfare, the trade body has produced a new Animal Welfare Framework. This embodies PFMA’s commitment to supporting the welfare needs of all animals and can be downloaded…