Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the number of animal rescue centres with overcrowded living conditions.

The Government has not made any such assessments, but under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to an animal or to fail to provide for its welfare needs. If anyone has any concerns about the welfare of an animal in a rescue centre, they should report it to the relevant local authority which has powers to investigate, or to the RSPCA who can also investigate such matters. The Government supports the work of the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes whose members must meet minimum standards of welfare.