MPs launch animal welfare inquiry
The inquiry will look into whether current legislation is fit for purpose in a time when the sale of domestic pets is increasingly being conducted over the internet.
The government has launched an inquiry into animal welfare to assess the effectiveness of the Animal Welfare Act, as well as the legislation surrounding pet sales.
Initially the inquiry will focus on domestic pets, including dogs, cats and horses. MPs will consider exotic pets at a later date.
Around one in two UK households own a pet, which equates to 21 million pets owned in total (not including fish). There are estimated to be around nine million pet dogs and eight million pet cats in the country.
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs sub-committee is running the inquiry to determine the impact of the Animal Welfare Act, which places a legal responsibility on pet owners to provide proper care for their animals.
The inquiry will also look into whether the act and other relevant laws are fit for purpose in a time when the sale of domestic pets is increasingly being conducted over the internet.
Views are being sought on the following issues:
- The effectiveness of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 with regard to domestic pets
- Regulation surrounding the sale of domestic pets, including online sales and advertising
- Enforcement of current animal welfare legislation, including prosecution of offences by the police, local authorities, the RSPCA and others
- Comparative approaches to enforcement in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
To send a written submission visit: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/environment-food-and-rural-affairs-committee/environment-food-and-rural-affairs-sub-committee/inquiries/parliament-2015/animal-welfare-domestic-15-16/
RCVS Knowledge has welcomed Professor Peter Cockcroft as editor-in-chief for Veterinary Evidence. 
