Animal welfare is really important to me, and something that I regularly raise with ministers in parliament. From those conversations, I know how much they care too about going further to protect animals and stand up for nature, and how much they appreciate the tireless campaigning of animal rights advocates like you who take the time to contact me and other MPs about this vital issue.
I know how disappointed many local residents were after the last Conservative government spent years breaking their promises on animal welfare, leaving animals to endure needless suffering because of outdated laws, legal loopholes, and the continuation of cruel practices.
That’s why I was proud that at the last election Labour promised strong action on animal welfare. Our new strategy represents the biggest step forward for animal welfare since Labour were last in government. Through the action we are taking, animals will be better protected from cruelty, whether they are pets in our homes, livestock on farms, or roaming free in the wild – something I am really proud to be supporting as your MP.
Protecting pets
Britain is a nation of animal lovers, and I know so many in North Warwickshire and Bedworth have been shocked to learn about unregulated puppy farming, puppy smuggling, and the use of electric shock collars on pets. That is why I am delighted the government has committed to:
- Introducing a single registration system for all puppy breeders to they can be traced and anti-cruelty laws can be properly enforced.
- Delivering on our manifesto promise to end puppy farming.
- Banning puppy smuggling and introducing tough new restrictions on the transportation of more than five pets in a vehicle.
- Banning the import of dogs and cats under six months old or heavily pregnant, to prevent suffering during long journeys.
- Consulting on banning electric shock collars. I wrote to the government previously about this so I’m particularly glad this is now being taken seriously.
- I’m also delighted that our new Renters Rights Act prevent landlords from unreasonably blocking tenants from keeping a pet.
Improving the welfare of farm animals
Britain used to be a leader when it came to the welfare of farm animals, but after years of inaction we having been falling behind other European nations with respect to key animal welfare standards. But I know from working with farmers that they care deeply about the welfare of the animals in their care and want to ensure that they are not competing unfairly with imports from countries that don’t value the welfare of farm animals. That’s why I strongly welcome measures in the strategy that:
- Introduce a plan to phase out colony cages for hens laying eggs.
- Work with the farming industry to phase out the use of farrowing crates for pigs.
- Address welfare concerns related to high-concentration CO2 for stunning pigs.
- Ban the boiling of live lobsters and consult on introducing standards for the humane killing of fish.
Protecting nature and our precious countryside
We are so lucky in Warwickshire to be blessed with beautiful countryside and many wonderful wild animals that need our protection. I have always enjoyed walks with my family in the local area. That’s why I strongly welcome the strategy’s measures to:
- Ban trail hunting, which for too long has been used as a smokescreen for the illegal hunting of foxes and other wild animals.
- Ban the use of snare traps, which are indiscriminate and inhumane.
- Ban the hunting or killing of hares during the February to October breeding season, to protect this beautiful and increasingly rare species.
- Review and strengthen penalties for cruelty against wildlife so that they are consistent with higher levels of sentencing available for animal welfare offences against pets and farmed animals.
As an MP I am passionate about protecting animals from harm and preserving our precious wildlife, so please rest assured that I will continue to back strong action when it comes to animal welfare.