Government
Government policy plays a critical role in shaping the regulatory and commercial environment for the UK pet industry. Under this tag, Pet Gazette covers legislation, consultations, and regulatory updates affecting pet retailers, wholesalers, and distributors — from pet food labelling and animal welfare standards to licensing rules, trade regulations, and business rates. We also report on government-backed initiatives, support schemes, and local authority actions that influence retail operations or supply chain logistics. This tag keeps industry professionals informed about political and regulatory developments with direct implications for commercial petcare businesses.
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Jul- 2018 -5 JulyCharities
Government accused of ‘inaccurate information’ over dangerous dogs
Animal welfare charity Blue Cross says it has been left “astounded” after it claims the government presented “inaccurate information” at an evidence session looking into the Dangerous Dogs Act. Blue Cross says the government showed they supported Section One of the Dangerous Dogs Act despite evidence from charities and police…
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3 JulyGovernment & Legislation
Government refuses to reclassify pet theft law
The government has decided not to create a new law making pet theft a crime in its own right, following a parliamentary debate on 2 July. More than 106,000 signed a petition to reclassify pet theft, with concerns raised that the current penalties for the crime are not enough of…
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May- 2018 -18 MayFunny
Village residents’ cat ‘eradication’ petition rejected by parliament
Residents of the village of Sawtry started a petition to “criminalise cat ownership in Sawtry” led by a local ailurophobe. The man referred to cats in the petition saying saying the village has “seen a drastic influx of certain unwanted pests” before going on to say “I would like to…
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4 MayScience
BVA urges government to modernise disease surveillance
Leading vets have urged the government to work “collaboratively” with them to bring current disease surveillance networks up to date. The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has set out a vision for animal health and disease monitoring in the UK, exploring how UK governments, the veterinary profession and key stakeholders can…
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Apr- 2018 -13 AprilCurrent Affairs
Low-skilled jobs rebadged as apprenticeships by firms, says report
Employers are relabelling low-quality, low skilled and and often low-wage roles as ‘apprenticeships’, according to a new report. As part of the Government’s wider package of reforms to apprenticeships, groups of employers have come together to write the new ‘apprenticeship standards’. Some employers have used this opportunity to generate high-quality…
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Mar- 2018 -19 MarchFeatures
Stepping into spring with pond sales
With spring just around the corner, now is the time for retailers to think about promoting their pond products. Consumer trends have made the pond category more and more challenging over the past five years, but there is still plenty of opportunities for spring sales with existing pond-keepers and attracting…
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12 MarchCharities
Charity welcomes consultation on electric shock collars
Animal welfare charity Battersea Dogs & Cats Home has welcomed the Westminster Government’s consultation around the use of electric shock collars on dogs and cats. Claire Horton, Battersea’s chief executive, said: “Battersea welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Environment Secretary’s consultation on banning electric shock collars. “Battersea has long…
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Feb- 2018 -26 FebruaryBusiness
90% of small firms not prepared for new data regulation
Over a third of small businesses have not yet started preparing for the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). A further third (35%) are only in the early stages of preparation, claims the new research published today. Only 8% of…
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20 FebruaryCharities
Dogs Trust calls on government to ban electric collars in new campaign
Canine charity Dogs Trust has launched its #ShockinglyLegal campaign to help urge the government to ban the sale of electronic shock collars in England. A recent poll revealed that 31 percent of the public believe that shock collars are already illegal in England, although that is not the case. Some…
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14 FebruaryIndustry News
Vets ‘delighted to see animal welfare high on the political agenda’
The British Veterinary Association has welcomed Labour’s draft policy document: ‘Animal Welfare For The Many, Not The Few’. The document, published today, looks at introducing a ban on the live export of animals for slaughter, strengthen the Hunting Act, enshrine the principal of animal sentience in law, end the badger cull, implement…
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