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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure (a) high welfare standards and (b) access to food and water for tethered animals situated near main highways.

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to animals or to fail to provide for their welfare. In addition, the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses, Ponies, Donkeys and Their Hybrids includes advice on how to tether such animals in order to meet their welfare needs, as required by the Animal Welfare Act 2006. If anyone is concerned about the way a horse is tethered they should report it to the relevant local authority who have powers under the Animal Welfare Act to investigate such matters or to the RSPCA or World Horse Welfare who can also investigate such matters.