MP sends animal welfare petition to Parliament

14 February 2006

Don Valley MP Caroline Flint has urged Parliament to give the Animal Welfare Bill a swift passage into law this week, sending a petition from 1,000 Don Valley residents to the Minister for Animal Welfare, Ben Bradshaw.

Ms Flint's message for constituents was "This is a major opportunity to improve the lives of animals across Britain and I want to assure you that I will be supporting this Bill."

Ms Flint said: "I am delighted that, so far, 1,000 constituents have backed this Bill, with more petitions being returned every week. Many constituents feel as strongly about the welfare of animals as I do, and they want this Bill to become law. We don't want any of the games and tactics that were used by opponents to frustrate successive Bills to ban hunting. The Government is determined to get this Bill into law and the sooner the better."

The Animal Welfare Bill will introduce for the first time a duty to promote the welfare of companion animals – such as pets. Keepers may be prosecuted where suffering is likely to occur, and not just where it has occurred. Today, inspectors and enforcers have to wait for evidence that suffering has actually occurred before they can act. Often animals are found in desperate and appalling condition, when earlier intervention would have reducing their suffering.

The new law would also double the present maximum jail sentence for cruelty and substantially increase the maximum fine from £5,000 to £20,000.

The Bill is widely supported by animal welfare organisations including the RSPCA.

For more information contact Phil Cole on 07973 367869