Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in how many instances of an individual being charged relating to domestic abuse was there also charges laid for animal abuse in each of the last five years.

The Ministry of Justice publishes data on prosecutions by offence through the Outcomes by Offences data tool on GOV.UK. It is not currently possible to separately identify prosecutions for domestic abuse, as such cases are prosecuted under a range of different criminal offences. However, the Government recognises the importance of consistently identifying domestic abuse offenders at every stage of the system. That is why we are moving at pace to implement a domestic abuse identifier at sentencing in criminal cases, delivering on a recommendation made in the Independent Sentencing Review.

Statutory guidance on the definition of domestic abuse under Domestic Abuse Act 2021 is clear that domestic abuse can include harming or threatening to harm animals, for example as a form coercive and controlling behaviour. In our Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, published last December, we committed to ensuring all victims and survivors are protected, including those with pets, including to:

• Work with the veterinary profession to support initiatives designed to help vets and practice staff recognise potential signs of domestic abuse through non-accidental injuries
• Strengthen the pet microchipping regime to prevent the records of domestic abuse victims and survivors being accessed inappropriately
• Work with charities to increase the awareness of services available for the pets of domestic abuse victims and survivors to support more victims to escape abuse

As part of this work, Defra has also commissioned research, led by the University of Bristol, into the relationship between animal abuse and domestic abuse, and will consider the findings once the research concludes.