Early Day Motion on DDA 1991

EDM 1159 is sponsored by Wayne David MP:

Has your MP viewed the EDM and put their name to it?

EDMs are used to put on record the views of individual MPs or to draw attention to specific events or campaigns. Topics covered by EDMs vary widely.

By attracting the signatures of other MPs, they can be used to demonstrate the level of parliamentary support for a particular cause or point of view.

EDM 1159:

This House is concerned at the increasing number of dog attacks and is alarmed that 13 people have been killed as a result of a dog attack since the start of 2022 and more have been seriously injured; notes that the cost to the NHS of dog bites has been calculated at £777 million per year; recognises that an approach based on breed specific legislation has failed and that the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 is woefully ineffective; looks forward to the publication of recommendations by the Government’s Responsible Dog Ownership working group and calls for this to take place before the summer recess; and further calls on the Government to introduce new legislation covering all aspects of the control of dangerous dogs that protects the public, promotes responsible dog ownership and improves animal welfare.

Animal Welfare Bill Officially Withdrawn

The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill has been dropped by the Government - who have given the following statement:

Given the successful progress so far in this Parliament of so much single-issue legislation and the pressures that the original Bill faced from broader interests beyond the original manifesto commitments, we will be taking forward measures in the Kept Animals Bill individually during the remainder of the Parliament - the most effective route possible.

We are committed to cracking down on puppy smuggling. We will ban the imports of young, heavily pregnant or mutilated dogs. Applying strengthened penalties will help send a clear message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated and will enable our courts to take a firmer approach to cases where pets are illegally imported.

We’ve also taken action to tackle the practice of puppy farming. Following the introduction of Lucy’s Law in 2020, everyone must now buy directly from breeders or consider adopting from rescue centres – a major step in stopping the illegal pet trade. If an individual sells puppies or kittens without a licence they could receive an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to 6 months.

We also have one of the most rigorous pet travel border checking regimes in the world. Every dog travelling into Great Britain on approved routes has its microchip and paperwork checked to make sure they are all properly vaccinated and old enough to travel.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

In this country, we pride ourselves on our high standards of animal welfare, and we have introduced powerful laws to maintain them.

We are delivering on our manifesto promises and continue to explore ways to enhance our position as a global leader on animal welfare.

We are also supporting Private Members’ Bills currently before Parliament banning the import of detached shark fins, banning the import of hunting trophies and banning the advertising and offering for sale here of unacceptably low animal welfare activities abroad.

Action we’ve already delivered on animal welfare since 2010 includes:

• Recognised animal sentience in law and introduced accountability to Parliament for how well all government policy decisions pay due regard to the welfare needs of animals.
• Ramped up enforcement with:
  • • Increased maximum sentences for animal cruelty from six months to five years’ imprisonment.
    • New financial penalty notice powers in addition to other existing penalties under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
    • New protections for service animals with ‘Finn’s Law’.
• Raised farm animal welfare:
  • • Launched the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway with new annual vet visits and grants.
    • Implemented a revised welfare at slaughter regime and introduced CCTV in all slaughterhouses.
    • Banned traditional battery cages for laying hens, permitted beak trimming via only infra-red technology.
    • Raised standards for meat chickens.
• Significantly enhanced companion animal welfare:
  • • Revamped the local authority licensing regime for commercial pet services including selling, dog breeding, boarding, animal displays.
    • Banned the third party puppy and kitten sales with Lucy’s Law.
    • Made microchipping compulsory for cats and dogs.
    • Introduced offences for horse fly-grazing and abandonment.
    • Introduced new community order powers to address dog issues.
• Provided valuable new protections for wild animals:
  • • Banned wild animals in travelling circuses.
    • Passed the Ivory Act which came into force last year, including one of the toughest bans on elephant ivory sales in the world, and extended it to five further species.
    • Gave the police additional powers to tackle hare coursing.
    • Banned glue traps.
    • Supported the Private Member’s Bill currently before Parliament banning the import of hunting trophies.
    • Supported the Private Member’s Bill currently before Parliament banning trade in detached shark fins.
    • Supported the Private Member’s Bill currently before Parliament banning the advertising and offering for sale here of unacceptably low animal welfare activities abroad

New Microchipping Regulations come in:

 

THE MICROCHIPPING OF CATS AND DOGS (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2023

The 2015 Regulations came into force on 24 February 2015 and introduced the compulsory microchipping of dogs. 

Since 6th April 2016, in England, all keepers of dogs that are older than eight weeks have been required to have their dog implanted with a microchip. 

The details of the dog and the keeper’s contact details are to be recorded on a database that complies with specified legislative requirements. 

Breaches of the requirements in respect of microchipping are enforced in accordance with the regulatory regime set out in the 2015 Regulations.

 This instrument revokes the 2015 Regulations. 

It replicates its provisions and extends the obligation in respect of microchipping to cats over 20 weeks of age, resulting in equivalent provisions in respect of the microchipping of cats and dogs. 

The obligation to microchip a cat comes into force on 10th June 2024. 

The instrument also makes minor and technical drafting changes where provisions replicated in it did not adequately set out the policy intent.

The new legislation can be viewed here.

New Public Consultation Launched:

Introducing penalty notices for animal health and welfare offences in England:

DEFRA are seeking your views on the government’s proposed implementation of penalty notices for animal health and welfare offences in England.

This Consultation is open until 20th July 2023

Online Survey Here

DEFRA want to know your views on the scope of animal health and welfare offences that could be covered by penalty notices and elements on how the penalty regime might work in practice to ensure the guidance is clear and transparent to enforcers and the general public and write:

In April 2022, the Animals (Penalty Notices) Act “the Act” was passed in Parliament. The Act provides the powers to introduce penalty notices in England for relevant animal health and welfare offences (and in Wales for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991). 

The Act states that the Secretary of State may through regulations, prescribe offences as relevant offences for the purposes of this Act. 

The Act requires the Secretary of State to make regulations to ‘switch on’ the penalty notices option for relevant offences under the primary legislation listed in the Act itself and all secondary legislation made under those primary legislation. 

We are consulting on two elements:

 1. Which range of offences could be “switched on” and be under the scope of the penalty notices regime 

2. How penalty notices will work in practice. 

We believe that these new and proportionate financial penalties for animal health and welfare offences could add to, and complement, the current enforcement regime to support early behaviour change to promote compliance and better protect the nation’s animals.

Over One Million Sign Petition to Home Office:

Over one million people have now signed the online Petition for Marshall and Millions - two dogs shot and killed by the Met Police in London (UK) on the 7th May 2023. 

Legal action is in process.

To view, sign and share the petition and updates - 

Petition · Hold the Met Police criminally accountable for the barbaric killing of two leashed dogs · Change.org

Pet Theft

Dogs are classified as property under the Theft Act 1968 - meaning that a stolen dog currently is legally the same as a stolen bike.

Following the recommendation of the Pet Theft Taskforce, the Government stated that Pet Theft would be classed as a new criminal offence and added to the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill - the Bill has not been yet passed as law and disappeared from Parliament.

Please Contact you own Member of Parliament (MP) and ask them to support the Kept Animals Bill and bring it back into session so that it can proceed to become law.

Government Petition for held dogs:

 

Create new requirements for dogs held under dangerous dogs legislation

Please Sign and Share the petition - https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/635704

Government will respond when 10,000 signatures are reached.

We want new legal requirements in relation to dogs that are being held under dangerous dogs law. 

Authorities should immediately notify owners if their dog is unwell, needs a vet, is dying or died. 

And no dog's body to be cremated or frozen without an owner’s consent, so they can seek a post mortem.

Currently there is no guidance from Government or specific legal requirements for owners to be informed when a dog - that is being held under dangerous dogs legislation - is sick, needs vet treatment or died. 

Owners can also struggle to get copies of vet and kennel records.