Three Bills That Protect Animals Have Just Become Law!

Posted by on April 29, 2022 | Permalink

We’re popping corks in celebration of three crucial pieces of legislation receiving royal assent and becoming law this week!

The Animals (Penalty Notices) Act, Glue Traps (Offences) Act, and Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act will help improve the lives of animals across the UK.

Thank you to DEFRA and the ministers and other policymakers involved in making this excellent progress.

How the New Animal Welfare Acts Will Protect Animals

Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act

This act recognises in law what we’ve long known: that other animals are living, feeling beings with complex thoughts and emotions, each able to experience pain, fear, love, and joy.

Now, policymakers will need to take into account the unique needs of animals (the scope of this act includes all vertebrate animals and some invertebrate animals such as octopuses and lobsters) when creating laws. It also requires that the government establish an Animal Sentience Committee to scrutinise and report on whether the government is taking into account the adverse effect of any policy “on the welfare of animals as sentient beings”.

Glue Traps (Offences) Act

Glue traps are one of the cruellest methods of rodent control. Mice, rats, and other animals who walk onto the glue instantly become stuck and are powerless to free themselves. Animals caught in these traps can die of hunger, dehydration, or exposure after days of prolonged suffering. Thanks to this law, they will be banned. The ban will come into effect in England in two years.

Animals (Penalty Notices) Act

Under this act, people who fail to care properly for their companion animals or animals in zoos or on farms could face fines of up to £5,000. The Animals (Penalty Notices) Act will help punish those who commit atrocious animal abuse.

Keep Up the Momentum: Don’t Betray Animals

We must keep the momentum going and protect even more animals in the next session of Parliament by urging the government to pass the Animals Abroad Bill!

The government promised that the Animals Abroad Bill would ban the import of hunting “trophies”, fur, and foie gras as well as the promotion in the UK of cruel activities overseas, such as elephant rides.

However, reports show that the government may do a U-turn, dropping this vital piece of legislation.

The UK Public Supports Animal Welfare Laws

A new Focaldata poll shows that 72% of the UK public would like to see the government pass more laws designed to improve the welfare of animals and protect them from cruelty.

To date, over a million Brits have signed petitions in support of a sales and import ban on fur and foie gras.

Take Action

Help keep the momentum going by urging the government to champion its Action Plan for Animal Welfare and bring forward the much-anticipated and desperately needed Animals Abroad Bill: