The march brought together Cats Protection supporters, volunteers and staff.
Campaigners gathered in Parliament Square on Tuesday (14 April) to protest the abandonment of cats from the government’s recent Animal Welfare Strategy.
Led by feline welfare charity Cats Protection, the march brought together supporters, volunteers and staff to highlight the largely unregulated trade in kittens and cats.
Representatives from the charity also handed over a petition to 10 Downing Street, containing more than 60,000 signatures, which urges the government to introduce regulation of cat breeding in England.
Madison Rogers, associate director of advocacy and campaigns at Cats Protection, said: “By failing to introduce even basic safeguards for cat breeding, the Government has left cats exposed to severe health problems and lifelong suffering. While other species have been recognised within the Animal Welfare Strategy, cats – one of the nation’s most popular companion animals – have been completely overlooked.
“This lack of action is allowing a largely unregulated breeding market to thrive, where underage, sick and genetically compromised kittens can be bred and sold with little oversight. Rising demand for extreme‑trait breeds, fuelled by social media trends, is becoming a ticking time bomb for cat welfare, despite the well‑documented and lifelong health issues these cats can face.
“Today’s action shows just how strongly the public feels about this issue. More than 60,000 people have added their names to our call for change, and they are right to expect the Government to act. Cats deserve the same protections as other animals, and we urgently need clear commitments to close these welfare gaps and prevent further suffering.”
Image (C) Cats Protection.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
