On Wednesday 21 June, just weeks after the Government’s choice to drop the long-awaited Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill in what was referred to as a frustrating U-turn, MPs have actually turned down a Labour movement which looked for to bring the Bill back into Parliament. MPs voted 256 to 183 to decline Labour’s movement.
The Kept Animals Bill was enthusiastic Bill that intended, to name a few things, to punish puppy smuggling; present the brand-new criminal offense of dog kidnapping to prevent dog theft; and prohibit the import of dogs with cropped ears. A positive vote might have enabled the Bill to go through its staying phases in the House of Commons as early as 12 July.
“We’re saddened that MPs have rejected the Kept Animals Bill. Enacting this legislation would have no downsides”
Commenting the vote David Bowles, RSPCA head of public affairs, said: “We are dissatisfied that MPs have actually voted versus restoring the Kept Animals Bill.
“It’s dreadful news for animals and we are contacting the UK Government to reconsider and restore all the propositions consisted of within the binned Bill back by other ways. We cannot go on enabling vicious practices such as the live exports of animals for massacre and the puppy import trade.
“After the UK Government dropped this legislation in May, today’s vote (an Opposition Day Motion) was crunch-time for animals in England and was a litmus test of this government’s genuine commitment to animal welfare, its manifesto promises and the policy commitments it put at risk when binning the Kept Animals Bill in May.”
“We’re saddened that MPs have rejected the Kept Animals Bill. Enacting this legislation would have no downsides: it would make a seismic difference for animals, and the UK Government would also gain lots of ‘Brownie Points’, demonstrating that it is listening to the country. Sadly, today’s vote suggests that the government is prepared to further delay fulfilling its commitments to make animals’ lives better. While politicians dither, animals suffer.”
While inviting the Government’s promise to present animal well-being steps – such as a restriction on the keeping of primates as family pets – through brand-new Bills, Bowles included that “the Bill contained many other proposals to tackle many other cruel practices which must be re-introduced as soon as possible”.
“Without such action, the UK Government’s policy agenda for animal welfare is merely smoke and mirrors,” he concluded.
“When is the Government going to put the needs of animals before political point-scoring?”
Paula Boyden, Dogs Trust Veterinary Director, said, “I can’t communicate how sad we are that, regardless of clear support from the general public, 65,000 of whom have actually emailed the Prime Minister pleading with him to pass this Bill to secure animals, it’s been obstructed yet once again from travelling through Parliament.
“While Westminster continues to play political video games, dogs are suffering dreadful journeys to Great Britain, frequently without food and with little water, to be offered to unwary purchasers. Dogs are having their ears extremely mutilated, in some cases without anaesthesia, which can have a damaging impact on their health, behaviour and well-being. The practice can leave them not able to interact appropriately, as dogs utilize their ears to express their feelings. There are all way of criminal offenses versus animals that the Bill would have the ability to take on.
“When is the Government going to put the needs of animals before political point-scoring?”
