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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to bring forward legislative proposals to regulate animal rehoming.

The Government greatly appreciates the important work that animal rescue and rehoming organisations do, often on a voluntary basis, to ensure that unwanted and abandoned animals in the UK are offered the opportunity of a forever home.

Evidence provided by respondents to the 2019 consultation on commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens reflected concerns about profit-driven activity and variations in standards of animal welfare across this sector.

Defra has been engaging with rescue and rehoming organisations to understand their views and the possible impacts of regulating the sector. Any proposal to bring forward regulations, including for the introduction of any registration and licensing system, will be subject to a consultation and will reflect an awareness of the more recent impact that coronavirus has had on the sector.

Defra has been kept regularly updated on the sector’s analysis of the developing situation. It has been encouraging to see the sector working collaboratively to safeguard the welfare of animals in their care in the face of real financial hardship and uncertainty.

Organisations have been able to apply for the full range of coronavirus support measures that the government made available to businesses and charities: www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support. The Charity Commission has also issued comprehensive guidance on running a charity during this period of economic uncertainty: www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector.

Defra has worked closely with the sector through the Canine and Feline Sector Group and National Equine Welfare Council to agree and update guidance to animal rescue and rehoming organisations to enable them to undertake core operations as far as possible, while maintaining compliance with the social distancing rules and need for hygiene precautions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The Government remains committed to continued engagement with the sector to understand the longer-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, monitor the animal welfare implications of this and offer appropriate advice.