Animal sentience closer to being embedded in law

Through this week’s Queen’s Speech, the Government has pledged that animal sentience will be embedded in UK legislation, making animals recognised in domestic law as sentient beings, whereby the welfare of sentient animals is taken into consideration in Government policy making. The Agriculture Bill was also reintroduced which pledges to reform agricultural policy and introduce schemes that support public goods including animal welfare. There was also a commitment to gather views on areas including compulsory microchipping of cats, live transportation of animals and keeping primates as pets.
President of the British Veterinary Association, Daniella Dos Santos, said: “In setting out these proposals today, we hope that the Government will now grasp this golden opportunity to make the UK’s status as a global leader on animal welfare resoundingly clear and find the means to bring sentience into law without further delay. We look forward to reviewing the new proposals in detail to ensure that the new legislation carries weight and is tailored to deliver the best possible protections for all species. BVA will keep up the pressure to ensure that animal health and welfare are seen as public goods in future policy. This is a particularly crucial step for the UK to demonstrate its commitment to high animal welfare standards as it navigates the post-Brexit landscape and negotiates future trade deals. BVA also welcomes the reintroduction of the Immigration Bill and will be lobbying for post-study work visas for overseas graduates from UK vet schools and measures to ensure the UK has the veterinary workforce it needs. Today’s speech has introduced a package of wide-ranging measures that looks to review or consult on many areas that really matter to our members. We look forward to feeding in our views and seeing the plans taking shape in the months ahead.”