Found: Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill EXPLANA TORY NOTES Explanatory notes
Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make it her policy to bring forward cat breeding regulations similar to those in Scotland.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the Regulations), anyone in the business of breeding and selling cats as pets needs to have a valid licence issued by their local authority. Licensees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse, vary or revoke licences.
Defra has been working on a post-implementation review of the Regulations in line with the requirements of the Regulations’ review clause. This review considers whether the Regulations have met their objectives, and where there could be scope to further improve the protections they provide to breeding cats and their offspring. The review will be published soon.
Found: OFFICIAL – SENSITIVE 1 ANIMAL WELFARE (IMPORT OF DOGS, CATS AND FERRETS) BILL Memorandum from
Report Apr. 05 2024
Committee: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (Department: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)Found: Group ( PWA0042 ); Cats Protection ( PWA0064 ) 57 Cats Protection ( PWA0064 ) Pet welfare and abuse
Written Evidence Feb. 07 2024
Inquiry: Post-pandemic health and welfare concerns of companion animals, including abuse and mutilationFound: full and often having to turn away people who needed support, either with reporting stray and feral cats
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) increasing the age at which puppies can be imported to six months and (b) reintroducing rabies blood tests for imported puppies.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government supports the Private Members’ Bill, Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, introduced by Selaine Saxby MP on restricting the importation and non-commercial movement of pets. The Bill will contain powers that will enable future regulations for commercial and non-commercial movements of pets into the United Kingdom including prohibiting the import of puppies under six months old.
There are already strict legal controls on the entry of animals into Great Britain aimed at preventing the introduction of rabies. All dogs, cats and ferrets entering Great Britain must be vaccinated against rabies. We are not currently proposing any changes to the animal health requirements for dogs, cats and ferrets entering Great Britain. The Government monitors disease risk carefully. If the disease risk changes, or an immediate public health risk is identified, appropriate action will be taken.
Mar. 29 2024
Source Page: More lost pets to return home as microchipping system reformedFound: With over nine million pet dogs and nine million pet cats in England, it is devasting for owners when
Mar. 15 2024
Source Page: Government backs legislation to tackle illegal pet smugglingFound: Delivering on a key manifesto commitment, under the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets)
Asked by: Golden, Maurice (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - North East Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the compulsory microchipping of pet cats.
Answered by Fairlie, Jim
The Scottish Government’s Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats recommends that all cat owners should consider neutering and microchipping their pets as the best way of being reunited with their rightful owners, should they be separated.
The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission’s (SAWC) Responsible Cat Ownership Working Group is currently considering responsible cat ownership including microchipping and we will carefully consider the SAWC’s report and its recommendations once published before taking further action.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation to require drivers to report collisions with cats to the police.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Although there is no obligation to report all animal deaths on roads, Rule 286 of The Highway Code advises drivers to report any accident involving an animal to the police. If possible, they should make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals, such as cats, and advise them of the situation. I recognise the very deep upset that losing a beloved pet can cause – but, given challenges around enforcement – there are no current plans to strengthen that requirement.