Petition to provide lifelong vet care for retired service animals

A Petition to provide lifelong vet care and financial support for retired service animals.

This is a UK Government Petition, currently awaiting a government response as more than 10,000 signatures have been reached.

Petition Text:

We want the UK Government to create a national support scheme to provide lifelong veterinary care and financial assistance for retired service animals, including police dogs, military dogs, and police horses.

Service animals protect the public and support the emergency services and armed forces. Many retire with injuries or health conditions linked to their service. Ongoing care costs often fall to former handlers, adopters, or charities.
We want a national support scheme or pension to help fund lifelong veterinary care and welfare support for retired service animals.

You can Sign and Share the Petition Here:  

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/769616

If the petition receives more than 100,000 signatures it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

Exempted Dogs Update - Defra New

There are two changes issued by Defra in June 2026, applying to all exempted dogs in England and Wales as follows:

1. 9 June 2026

Updated guidance to reflect changes to requirements. 1. From 1 July 2026, you will no longer need third party public liability insurance for banned breed dogs, including XL Bully dogs. Updated section ‘Third party public liability insurance’.

1. 2. From 1 November 2026, you must not leave a child under 12 in close contact with an XL Bully dog in a private place (for example a home or garden), without adult supervision.

2. A government press release stated:

3. From 1 November 2026, owners must not leave a child under the age of 12 in close proximity to a banned breed dog in a domestic setting or other private settings place without adult supervision. This will be a condition of the Certificate of Exemption, which allows owners to legally keep a banned breed. 

4. Details can be viewed online here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ban-on-xl-bully-dogs#if-you-have-a-certificate-of-exemption

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New Renters' Rights Act - Pets

The Renters' Rights Act received Royal Assent last year at the end of October, the new rules came into force in England on 1st May 2026.

The government states that private landlords cannot impose blanket "no pets" policies in tenancy agreements. 

Every single request must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.  

Under the updated legislation private tenants hold a legal right to request a pet and landlords are prohibited from implementing blanket no pet policies.

Government Update Here

Shelter Housing Advice Here 

New EU rules for pet travel

New EU rules for GB residents from the 22nd April 2026:

The changes, announced by the EU, apply to the non-commercial movement of pet dogs, cats and ferrets entering the EU from Great Britain.  

There are no major changes to pet travel requirements for re-entry into Great Britain.  

Key updates include: 

• GB residents should no longer use EU pet passports to travel into the EU. EU pet passports may now only be issued to people whose main home is in the EU and should not be used by people who have holiday homes in the EU or visit seasonally. EU pet passports issued to GB residents before 22 April 2026 may no longer be valid documents for entry to the EU. This means GB residents – even if they already have an EU pet passport – may need a different document to take their pet to the EU. To guarantee smooth travel, owners resident in Great Britain should get an Animal Health Certificate for their dog, cat or ferret(s) if they’re travelling from Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland) to an EU country.    

Individual Member States may have specific pet travel requirements and pet owners should always check the specific entry requirements of the destination country before travel. 

GB residents are still able to use EU pet passports for their return journey to GB.  
Animal Health Certificates (AHCs) now last longer once you arrive, but they are still single‑use. Although you still need a new AHC for each trip from GB to the EU, the certificate can now be used for up to six months for onward travel within the EU and for re‑entering Great Britain, as long as rabies vaccinations remain valid. 

If someone else travels with your pet, extra paperwork is needed. If the owner is not travelling with the pet, the pet must travel within five days of the owner, and the person accompanying the animal must carry written permission from the owner. This permission must travel with the pet’s travel document. 

There is a new five‑pet limit per private vehicle. Non‑commercial travel into the EU is now limited to a maximum of five pets per private vehicle, rather than five per person. The existing limit of five pets for people travelling on foot stays the same. Exceptions apply for pets travelling to competitions, events or training, if specific conditions are met. 

An APHA spokesperson said:
From 22 April, new EU rules change how GB residents travel to the EU with their pets, but holidays with your pets are still possible. 
Anyone planning to travel should check guidance on GOV.UK, and the entry rules for their destination. 
To avoid delays and ensure a smooth journey, pet owners residing in Great Britain should get an Animal Health Certificate if they’re travelling from Great Britain to an EU country.

Information from https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-eu-rules-for-pet-travel-for-gb-residents

The Senedd votes to ban Greyhound racing in Wales

On March 17, 2026, the Senedd voted to ban greyhound racing in Wales, making it the first UK nation to take this step due to animal welfare concerns. The ban is set to take effect between April 2027 and April 2030, allowing for a phased shutdown.

The Bill will ban Greyhound racing in Wales: 

https://www.gov.wales/prohibition-greyhound-racing-wales-bill

A transition period to allow the industry to wind down responsibly, strengthen rehoming arrangements for retired greyhounds, and prepare enforcement bodies and local authorities for the change which will see the prohibition brought into effect between 1 April 2027 and 1 April 2030. 

The Bill reflects a clear policy choice: that the injuries, fatalities, and poor post-racing outcomes associated with greyhound racing can no longer be justified. Despite efforts within the industry, harm to greyhounds has remained a consistent reality. 

Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said: 

Wales is a progressive nation, committed to ethical standards and forward-thinking legislation. This Bill strengthens our reputation as a leader on animal welfare and delivers the standards that the people of Wales rightly expect.

Thousands of members of the public, campaigners, and stakeholders contributed to shaping this legislation through campaigns, petitions, and personal testimony. Their voices have been central to its development.

New law changes come into force: Protection of Livestock

This week The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025 comes into force,  it updates the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953.

• The Act applies to England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland already have their own livestock worrying legislation.  
• To better reflect the seriousness of certain incidents, the law now distinguishes more clearly between a dog attacking livestock and a dog worrying livestock. This does not create new offences but helps ensure the law better captures the nature and severity of what has happened.  
• The law expands the definition of livestock currently afforded protection to include camelids (such as llamas and alpacas) that are commonly farmed. 
• The Act extends the locations covered to include roads and paths to cover incidents that may take place when animals are being moved, such as from one field to another. 
• The Act introduces a new defence for dog owners where their dog worries livestock whilst in someone else’s charge without their consent, such as if it had been stolen or taken without permission.
• Police will have new powers under the Act, including powers of seizure and detention, the power to take samples and impressions and powers of entry. 
• The Act introduces new court powers allowing a court to order an offender to pay expenses associated with seizing and detaining a dog.  
• The maximum penalty for an offence will be increased from a fine of up to £1,000 to an “unlimited” fine, to act as a deterrent.

Defra advice to dog owners:

• Follow The Countryside Code when visiting these areas
• Any dog is capable of livestock worrying - always keep dogs under control and in sight
• It is good practice to keep dogs on a lead when walking in rural areas where livestock are kept, but let go of the lead if chased by cattle
• Always follow local signs
• Report any incidents of livestock worrying to the police or local farmers
• Ensure dogs cannot escape from homes or gardens near livestock fields

Petition Update-Central Microchip Portal to help reunite missing pets

You can sign and re-post the petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/748648 open until 5th June 2026. 

At 100,000 signatures, the petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.

Now that the petition has reached over 10,000 signatures, the Government has issued a written response which can be read in full on the petition link.

Defra have stated:

Defra is currently working with the Association of Microchip Database Operators to develop commercial solutions that will provide easier access to microchip records for authorised users.

Since the introduction of compulsory dog microchipping in 2016, the number of compliant database operators has risen from 4 to 24. Whilst the growth in the number of database operators has resulted in more choice for consumers, it has made it harder for approved users such as vets to access records quickly.

To address this, as set out in the Animal welfare strategy for England,

(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-welfare-strategy-for-england/animal-welfare-strategy-for-england)

Defra is working with the Association of Microchip Database Operators (AMDO) to develop improvements to the way the microchipping regime currently operates. AMDO is currently testing industry-led solutions that will enable authorised users to access information contained on the databases digitally through a single point of search.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Amendment Act coming into force

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025 has received Royal Assent which makes it law, it will update the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act from 1953.

The new legislation will come into effect on Wednesday 18 March 2026 and applied to England and Wales.

The act: 

• is worded so that attacking livestock is treated separately from worrying livestock. This reframing helps make the violent nature of livestock attacks much clearer. It doesn’t create a new offence as both behaviours are already covered in the 1953 act, but it does make the distinction explicit 

• extends the law to cover livestock worrying and attacks that take place on roads and paths 

• includes camelids (as llamas and alpacas are commonly farmed) 

• introduces a new defence for dog owners to exempt them from liability where the dog was in the charge of another person at the time of the offence without the owner’s consent, for instance if the dog was stolen  

• introduces new powers allowing a court to order an offender to pay expenses associated with seizing and detaining a dog  

• provides a clear deterrent by increasing the penalty from a fine of up to £1,000 to an unlimited fine

In addition, the law gives police new and improved powers to improve their investigations, including: 

• the power to seize and detain a dog where they have reasonable grounds to believe there is a risk that the dog could attack or worry livestock again. The dog can be detained until an investigation has been carried out or, if proceedings are brought for an offence, until those proceedings have been determined or withdrawn 

• the power to take samples and impressions from a dog or livestock where the police have reasonable grounds to believe the dog has attacked or worried the livestock, and that a sample or impression might provide evidence of an offence. The sample or impression could then be used as evidence to support a prosecution 

• the powers to enter and search premises to identify, seize and detain a dog for the prevention of future incidents, to collect samples or impressions, or seize any other evidence

UK Gov Petition-Central Microchip Portal Needed

You can Sign and Share the Petition Here -https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/748648

Introduce a Central Microchip Portal to help reunite missing pets without delay:

In March 2024, the previous Government said it would make scanning, checking & reuniting lost & abducted pets more effective by introducing a central portal for approved users-vets, local authorities & police-to search all records instantly, instead of contacting databases individually.
This has not happened.

There are currently 23 government-compliant databases and cross-checking them is seen by many as an 'administrative burden. 

A central portal could reunite lost & abducted pets with families in minutes. 

The portal could make registrations easier to access, increase scanning & checking rates, and lead to more reunites. 

We believe this is a vital step to make pet microchipping work. We call on the government to deliver the central portal now to make chips count.

Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats & Ferrets) Act

The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats & Ferrets) Bill received royal assent on 2nd December and is now law.

The new legislation includes a ban on importing

- dogs and cats who are less than six months old

- animals who are heavily pregnant-dogs and cats more than 42 days pregnant

- those which have been declawed or with their ears cropped or tails docked.

British Veterinary Association President Dr. Rob Williams MRCVS said:  

“Every day, vets in practice see the devastating consequences of puppy smuggling and the loopholes that allow illegal and brutal mutilations like ear cropping and tail docking to continue. After years of tireless campaigning by the British Veterinary Association, the wide-ranging measures in this new legislation will finally stop criminal gangs from abusing pet travel rules for profit as well as tackle rising cases of imported diseases, such as Brucella canis, which are not currently endemic to the UK and which can be passed from pets to people.”  

Dr Danny Chambers, vet and MP for Winchester said:  

“As a vet, I've treated many dogs with cruelly cropped ears or docked tails, leaving them physically scarred and emotionally traumatised. Knowing this Bill will help us put a stop to this abuse and have a bigger impact on animal welfare than I could possibly have achieved in a lifetime treating individual animals, demonstrates how important this legislation will prove to be. Thanks to the support of organisations like the BVA and other animal welfare nonprofits, we got the Animal Welfare Bill through the Commons, through the Lords, and today passed into law." 

The new law can be found online here -https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2025/30/enacted

Animal Sentience Committee report - DDA

The Animal Sentience Committee (ASC) considers how central government policy decisions take account of animal welfare.

The Animal Sentience Committee has published their independent view on whether the government had all due regard to the welfare of animals as sentient beings in relation to the Dangerous Dogs Act.

Full Report – XL Bullies and the Dangerous Dogs Act:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-sentience-committee-xl-bullies-and-the-dangerous-dogs-act-report

The ASC has concluded the following:

The ASC understands that the Government was under substantial pressure to act on this issue. However, we concluded that, because of the lack of adequate data to provide a sound evidence base for this decision, policy makers were unable to fully understand the impact of the policy decision on the welfare of dogs when adding the XL Bully to Section 1 of the DDA.

Despite this, the direct welfare impacts of the DDA are clear. Paying due regard to the way this policy decision would impact on animal welfare would have meant taking every reasonable step to ensure that policies around risks from dogs have a robust evidence base – this goes beyond breed-specific legislation.

Failure to prevent the stagnation of the RDO Taskforce has left an evidence void at the heart of this legislation. The ASC recommends that this group be given a clear remit by government to ensure that the evidence requirements of this policy are fulfilled. This will help enable future policy considerations and decisions to be made in good time, preventing avoidable suffering to high-risk dogs, other animals and the public.

Looking forward, it is clear that some dogs are a danger to humans and other animals, and that policies will need to continue to prevent incidents, as far as possible. Some stakeholders suggested the unification of all dog control-related legislation in the UK into a single Act, coupled with a cultural shift in how dog control is viewed. The ASC believes this is worthy of consideration, particularly if it were to encompass the welfare of all animals. This includes companion animals other than service dogs, farmed and wild animals.

In the more immediate future, ensuring that comprehensive data and information around dog strikes and attacks are adequately obtained, recorded and analysed will help to enable policies, and their implementation, to pay due regard to animal welfare.

Fireworks - Early Day Motion

Reference is EDM 2128 27th October 2025

In regards to Fireworks anti-social behaviour and regulation, it has so far been supported by 26 MP's 

Motion text is as follows:

That this House notes with deep concern the growing impact of fireworks misuse on communities across the UK; recognises that the unpredictable use of high-decibel fireworks causes significant distress to animals, wildlife, and those with sensory sensitivities or neurodiverse conditions; further notes that local councils and police forces lack sufficient powers and resources to manage the increasing volume of complaints from residents; highlights that current firework legislation, much of it dating back to the early 2000s, has failed to keep pace with modern technology and changing patterns of use; acknowledges the calls of animal welfare charities including the RSPCA and Dogs Trust for a reduction in permitted decibel levels, stronger licensing of retailers, and a crackdown on unlicensed pop-up sellers during festive periods such as Bonfire Night; welcomes public campaigns that have highlighted widespread public frustration; and therefore urges the Government to bring forward comprehensive reform of firework regulation to ensure fireworks are used safely, sold responsibly, and enjoyed without causing harm to people, animals, and communities.

Updates: https://edm.parliament.uk/early-day-motion/64560

To support the EDM - contact your own member of parliament and ask them to add their signature.

www.writetothem.com 

Review and centrally record pet euthanasia - UK Gov petition

Petition text:

With some reports suggesting a rise in euthanasia rates, we think research must be undertaken by government and relevant bodies to centrally record how many dogs and cats are being euthanised: where, why, age, breed, gender and microchip status. All veterinarians must be required to report this data

A potential upcoming loss of rescue spaces could place a greater burden of abandonment on local authorities. Any new restrictions on rehoming from UK rescues and restricted rescuing from abroad could lead to more demand for purchased pups and encourage back street breeding with no Rescue Back Up.

We want Government to centralise data as currently there is no obligation to provide accurate euthanasia numbers outside of local authorities. We believe transparency is needed from all stakeholders

To Sign and Share the Petition - Click Here

The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (Amendment) Bill 2024 - 2026

 This is a Private Members Bill sponsored by Sir Christopher Chope MP (Conversative)

The official title text is as follows:

A Bill to provide that, before making any order to designate a type of dog for the purposes of section 1 or 2 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, the Secretary of State must carry out a public consultation and publish a comparative review of data showing the incidences of fatalities resulting from bites of dogs of that type in the last three years.

The 1^st reading in the House of Commons took place on the 21^st October 2024 and the second reading is set for the 27^th March 2026.

The Bill is asking that in future before making any order to designate a type of dog for the purposes of  section 1 or 2 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (before ‘banning’ another breed or type of dog - breed specific legislation) the Secretary of State must carry out a public consultation and publish a comparative review of data showing the incidences of fatalities resulting from bites of dogs of that type in the last three years.

Progress of the Bill can be followed online here - https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3854

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill

The Bill has moved through the House of Commons and is due a second reading in the House of Lords on 5^th September 2025

Full details of the Bill can be found here - https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3821

Explanatory Notes have been provided by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA):

The Bill addresses the serious issue of livestock worrying in England and Wales.

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 deals with dogs that chase or attack livestock in England, Wales, and Scotland (known as livestock worrying).

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Bill includes provisions to deliver a number of amendments to the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 ("the 1953 Act") to improve enforcement in response to incidents of livestock worrying by dogs. 

The Bill does so by extending the powers available to the police to obtain evidence of an offence under section 1 of the 1953 Act. 

The Bill extends the offence in section 1 of the 1953 Act to include roads and paths and expands the scope of livestock currently afforded protection to include camelids. 

It also increases the maximum penalty in relation to the offence in section 1 of the 1953 Act from a fine of £1,000 to an unlimited fine.

YouGov UK Poll published

 

Recent Poll results published:

The YouGov Survey Results Sample Size: 2243 Adults in GB 

Fieldwork: 28th - 29th April 2025 - the full results are online here -https://yougov.co.uk/society/articles/52664-most-britons-are-in-favour-of-dog-licences

85% of Britons think there should be some form of dog licence, with 54% believing it should be a requirement for owning any breed.

54% believe you should require a licence to own a dog of any breed as a pet, alongside a further 31% who believe that you should require a licence to own dogs belonging to certain breeds as a pet.

8% of the public think you should not require a licence to own a dog of any breed as a pet.

Among dog owners, 45% thought there should be a blanket dog licence, with 38% supporting one for certain breeds.

Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats & Ferrets) Bill progresses

The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill has now passed its 3rd reading in the House of Commons on the 4th July and been passed up to the House of Lords where the first reading has taken place - a formality which signals the beginning of the Bill through the Lords.

The second reading of the Bill is due to take place on 5th September, this is a general debate on all parts of the Bill.

A copy of the Bill, as amended, can be found here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3790/publications

The Bill aims to help end puppy smuggling, to ban imports of animals with mutilations and to reduce the risk of some diseases being imported.

#PuppySmugglingBill #flopdontcrop

Overview of the Bill:

The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill makes provision to restrict the commercial importation and non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets into the United Kingdom from third countries on grounds of animal welfare. 

The Bill introduces an enabling power to address the problem of low-welfare imports of dogs, cats and ferrets into the United Kingdom. 

The power must be used to prohibit the bringing into Great Britain of puppies and kittens under six months and dogs and cats that are mutilated or heavily pregnant. 

The Bill also seeks to address the current issue of commercial imports being disguised as non commercial movements by amending the rules that govern the non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets into Great Britain from third countries.  

Animal Shelters (Licensing) Bill Introduced:

 

This is a Private Members' Bill A Bill to make provision for the licensing of animal shelters; the First reading was on the 11^th June 2025.

The Bill is sponsored by conservative MP Richard Holden and the Second Reading is due to take place on the 4^th July

The new law would require animal shelters in England and Wales to obtain licences.

Progress can be followed online here - https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3985

Government responds to Petition

As 10,000 signatures were reached - the Government has responded to the petition, as below.

If 100,000 signatures are reached - then a parliamentary debate will be considered - Sign Here - “Introduce Licensing and Regulation for Dog and Cat Rescues to Protect Welfare” https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/718660

The Petitions Committee (the group of MPs who oversee the petitions system) has considered the Government’s response to this petition. They felt the response did not respond directly to the request of the petition. They have therefore asked the Government to provide a revised response. When the Committee receives a revised response from the Government, it will be published.

Government response:
Animal rescue organisations must meet existing statutory welfare requirements. Moving forward, we are developing an overarching approach to animal welfare and will outline more detail in due course.
The Government appreciates the important work that responsible animal sanctuaries as well as rescue and rehoming organisations do, often on a voluntary basis, to ensure that animals taken into the care of these organisations are offered the opportunity of a forever home.
There are existing protections under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 whereby any person responsible for an animal, whether on a permanent or temporary basis, has a duty to ensure the welfare of the animals in their care. Companion animal rescue and rehoming organisations in England and Wales must therefore comply with statutory welfare requirements set out in the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
The Department encourages individuals to report any concerns regarding whether these standards are being met to the relevant local authority, which has powers to investigate.
Members of the public can also check if the rescue centre they use is a member of the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes, which has set clear standards for animal assessments, neutering and rehoming procedures that all members adhere to.
More broadly, the Department is developing an overarching approach to animal welfare and has initiated a series of meetings with key animal welfare stakeholders as part of this work. It will be outlining more detail of plans in due course.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill Update

 This Bill was debated in Parliament on Wednesday 14 May 2025

A copy of the Bill, as amended, can be found here: https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3790/publications

The Bill aims to help end puppy smuggling, to ban imports of animals with mutilations and to reduce the risk of some diseases being imported.

#PuppySmugglingBill #flopdontcrop

You can ask your MP to support the Imports Bill – please contact them today. MP’s will vote for the Bill on the 4^th July, ask yours to support.

Government background explanatory notes:

The Bill aims to address growing concerns about the low welfare movement of dogs and cats into the United Kingdom.

Dogs, cats and ferrets can enter the United Kingdom in one of two ways: as non-commercial pet travel movements or commercial imports.  More stringent requirements apply to commercial imports than to non-commercial movements. Evidence has shown that commercial movements are frequently being disguised as non-commercial movements to  avoid these more stringent requirements. 

In 2023, over 500 landings of dogs and cats were intercepted at the Port of Dover and found to be non-compliant with import requirements. Of these, 116 puppies and kittens were quarantined for being below the legally required minimum age for import. This data does not include animals detained at airports or found inland.  The true extent of puppy smuggling operations is unknown and so these figures likely only capture a small portion of the animals smuggled into the country.

There are concerns about an emerging market involving the importation of heavily pregnant dogs and cats, and those which have been mutilated (ear cropped dogs, tail docked dogs and declawed cats).  

Defra have regularly been called upon to change the legislation and inhibit the trade for low welfare movements of dogs and cats, most recently by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) following its inquiry into pet welfare in abuse.  This looked at the scale and profitability of the illegal trade and the conditions in which dogs are being imported into the United Kingdom. The recommendations from that inquiry included the introduction of a limit on the number of dogs, cats and ferrets that can be brought into the UK as a non-commercial movement from five per person to five per vehicle, and three per foot or air passenger; as well as a ban on the movement of puppies and kittens under six months and pregnant dogs and cats in the last 30% of gestation. EFRA Committee also recommended that the Government should give priority to closing loopholes that enable the importation of mutilated animals. There is strong public support for intervention in the sector and concerns on the practice of “puppy smuggling” and low-welfare imports have been raised by third sector organisations and animal welfare groups.

These Explanatory Notes relate to the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill.