make provision for and in connection with restricting the importation and non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets.
The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill is a Ballot Bill tabled by Danny Chambers.
Is this Bill currently before Parliament?Yes. This Bill was introduced on 16 October 2024 and is currently before Parliament.
Whose idea is this Bill?As a Private Members' Bill, this Bill represents the individual initiative of an MP (Danny Chambers), not the Government.
What type of Bill is this?20 Ballot Bills places are awarded by lottery to backbench MP's at the start of each Session. These Bills receive precedence for debate in the Commons and a handful will succeed in becoming enacted into law.
The higher chance of success means MPs who win a ballot slot are frequently lobbied by groups wishing to have legislation tabled on their behalf, but the choice of bill ultimately remains with the MP.
So is this going to become a law?Historically, between 3 and 13 of the 20 Ballot Bills have succeeded in becoming enacted into law. Therefore, provided this bill is sufficiently high in the Ballot and the Government has no means to object to the bill, it has the greatest chance of PMBs to be enacted into law.
How can I find out exactly what this Bill does?The most straightforward information is contained in the initial Explanatory Notes for the Bill.
Would you like to know more?See these Glossary articles for more information: Ballot Bill, Private Members Bill, Process of a Bill
Official Bill Page Initial Explanatory Notes Initial Briefing papers Ministerial Extracts from Debates All Bill Debates
Next Event: There is no future stage currently scheduled for this bill
Last Event: Friday 5th September 2025 - 2nd reading (Lords)
Bill Progession through Parliament
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Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 2, page 3, line 21, leave out “But”
<p>This amendment is consequential on Amendment 2.</p>
2
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 2, page 3, line 29, at end insert—<br> “(2A) Regulations under section 1 may create a criminal offence only in relation to (or in relation to the causing or permitting of)—<br> (a) a contravention of a prohibition or restriction imposed by virtue of section 1(2)(a);<br> (b) where by virtue of section 1(2)(b) such a prohibition or restriction is subject to an exemption, a contravention of a condition attached to the exemption;<br> (c) a contravention of a requirement imposed by any relevant legislation to carry out checks in relation to the bringing of animals into the United Kingdom;<br> (d) a contravention of a requirement imposed by any relevant legislation to provide information or documents, or the provision of false or misleading information or documents in purported compliance with such a requirement;<br> (e) the obstruction of, or a failure to assist, a person acting in the execution of powers conferred by any relevant legislation.<br> (2B) In subsection (2A), “relevant legislation” means legislation (including regulations under section 1) that relates to animal welfare or animal health.”
<p>This amendment qualifies clause 2(1)(g) (power to create criminal offences in regulations under clause 1) by setting out the only conduct in relation to which offences may be created.</p>
1
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 2, page 3, line 15, after “offence” insert “(but see subsection (2A))”
<p>This amendment inserts in clause 2(1)(g) a signpost to the new subsection inserted by Amendment 2.</p>
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Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 5, line 28, at end insert—<br> “(b) in point (b), after “non-commercial movement” (in the first place it occurs) insert “(including movement that would be non-commercial movement but for Article 5 or 5A)”.”
<p>This amendment makes a minor clarificatory change in consequence of the other amendments made by Clause 4.</p>
4
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 6, line 8, after “to” insert “a movement of”
<p>This amendment is consequential on Amendment 5.</p>
5
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 6, line 12, at end insert—<br> “(ba) after paragraph 3 insert—<br> “3A Paragraph 1 does not apply to a movement of pet animals if—<br> (a) the appropriate authority determines that there are exceptional or compelling circumstances that justify the movement’s being treated as a non-commercial movement even if the relevant maximum is exceeded; and<br> (b) the movement meets any conditions attached to the determination.””
<p>This amendment allows for the appropriate authority to disapply the limit on the number of animals that can be brought in under the rules applicable to non-commercial movements, where justified in the particular circumstances of the case.</p>
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Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 6, line 13, leave out paragraph (c) and insert—<br> “(c) In paragraph 4, for the words from the beginning to “those pet animals” substitute “Where paragraph 1 applies and the relevant maximum is exceeded, the pet animals in question””
<p>This amendment is consequential on Amendment 5.</p>
7
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 6, line 23, leave out “the movement” and insert “a movement”
<p>This amendment is consequential on Amendment 8.</p>
8
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 6, line 34, at end insert—<br> “2 Paragraph 1 does not apply to a movement of a pet animal if—<br> (a) the appropriate authority determines that there are exceptional or compelling circumstances that justify the movement’s being treated as a non-commercial movement even if—<br> (i) the animal is not accompanied by the owner, and<br> (ii) one or both of the conditions in paragraph 1(a) and (b) are not met; and<br> (b) the movement meets any conditions attached to the determination.”
<p>This amendment allows for the appropriate authority to disapply the requirement that an animal’s movement be within 5 days of the owner’s, where justified in the particular circumstances of the case.</p>
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Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 6, page 8, line 14, leave out subsection (3)
<p>This amendment removes the power to make provision in regulations that is consequential on clause 4 or 5.</p>
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Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 7, page 8, line 18, leave out “sections 1 and 6(3)” and insert “section 1”
<p>This amendment is consequential on Amendment 9.</p>
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Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 7, page 8, line 23, leave out “or 6(3)”
<p>This amendment is consequential on Amendment 9.</p>
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Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 7, page 8, line 33, leave out subsection (6)
<p>This amendment is consequential on Amendment 9.</p>
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Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 7, page 9, line 28, leave out “this Act” and insert “section 1”
<p>This amendment is consequential on Amendment 9.</p>
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Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 5, line 28, at end insert— "(b) in point (b), after “non-commercial movement” (in the first place it occurs) insert “(including movement that would be non-commercial movement but for Article 5 or 5A)”.”
1
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 2, page 3, line 15, after "offence” insert "(but see subsection (2A))"
2
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 2, page 3, line 21, leave out "But"
3
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 2, page 3, line 29, at end insert— "(2A) Regulations under section 1 may create a criminal offence only in relation to (or in relation to the causing or permitting of)— (a) a contravention of a prohibition or restriction imposed by virtue of section 1(2)(a); (b) where by virtue of section 1(2)(b) such a prohibition or restriction is subject to an exemption, a contravention of a condition attached to the exemption; (c) a contravention of a requirement imposed by any relevant legislation to carry out checks in relation to the bringing of animals into the United Kingdom; (d) a contravention of a requirement imposed by any relevant legislation to provide information or documents, or the provision of false or misleading information or documents in purported compliance with such a requirement; (e) the obstruction of, or a failure to assist, a person acting in the execution of powers conferred by any relevant legislation. (2B) In subsection (2A),“relevant legislation” means legislation (including regulations under section 1) that relates to animal welfare or animal health."
4
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 6, line 8, after “to” insert “a movement of"
5
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 6, line 12, at end insert— "(ba) after paragraph 3 insert— "3A Paragraph 1 does not apply to a movement of pet animals if— (a) the appropriate authority determines that there are exceptional or compelling circumstances that justify the movement's being treated as a non-commercial movement even if the relevant maximum is exceeded; and (b) the movement meets any conditions attached to the determination.""
6
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 6, line 13, leave out paragraph (c) and insert— "(c) In paragraph 4, for the words from the beginning to “those pet animals" substitute "Where paragraph 1 applies and the relevant maximum is exceeded, the pet animals in question”"
7
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 6, line 23, leave out "the movement" and insert "a movement"
8
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 4, page 6, line 34, at end insert— "2 Paragraph 1 does not apply to a movement of a pet animal if— (a) the appropriate authority determines that there are exceptional or compelling circumstances that justify the movement's being treated as a non-commercial movement even if— (i) the animal is not accompanied by the owner, and (ii) one or both of the conditions in paragraph 1(a) and (b) are not met; and (b) the movement meets any conditions attached to the determination.”
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Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 6, page 8, line 14, leave out subsection (3)
10
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 7, page 8, line 18, leave out "sections 1 and 6(3)" and insert "section 1"
11
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 7, page 8, line 23, leave out "or 6(3)"
12
Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 7, page 8, line 33, leave out subsection (6)
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Danny Chambers (LD) - Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Mental Health)Clause 7, page 9, line 28, leave out "this Act” and insert "section 1”