Animal Welfare Bill marches on

The new Animal Welfare Bill successfully completed its second reading stage in the House of Commons on Tuesday January 10.

MPs welcomed the new Bill, which is intended to protect animals from ongoing neglect by legally obliging owners to provide their animals with a certain standard of care.

Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "The Bill introduces a positive duty to ensure the welfare of companion animals....For the first time, there will be powers to act before a pet suffers - a radical change...".

This duty to take reasonable steps to ensure welfare includes providing the animal with a suitable environment, a suitable diet, the ability to express normal behaviour, housing with or apart from other animals as appropriate and the freedom from pain, suffering, injury or disease

. Horses freely expressing their natural behavioural patterns

The Bill has been written to replace existing animal welfare legislation, most of which dates back to 1911. Redwings, along with other active welfare organisations, know the restrictions of these laws only too well as it works to improve the lives of neglected equines all over the country.

Redwings has been an active member of the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) for several years and through them has worked hard to support and shape the much needed changes which the Animal Welfare Bill will bring about.

A standing committee of cross-party MPs will now look at the Bill in more detail before it receives its third reading in the House of Commons and is then passed to the House of Lords. It is hoped the Bill may be active by Summer 2006.

For more information on the progress of the Animal Welfare Bill, visit the welfare pages and select 'welfare issues'.

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home welfare visit us adoptions young redwings fundraising gifts about us contact us Tel: 01508 481000 Fax: 0870 458 1947 info@redwings.co.uk A Registered Charity No. 1068911	Animal Welfare Bill marches on The new Animal Welfare Bill successfully completed its second reading stage in the House of Commons on Tuesday January 10. MPs welcomed the new Bill, which is intended to protect animals from ongoing neglect by legally obliging owners to provide their animals with a certain standard of care. Margaret Beckett, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "The Bill introduces a positive duty to ensure the welfare of companion animals....For the first time, there will be powers to act before a pet suffers - a radical change...". This duty to take reasonable steps to ensure welfare includes providing the animal with a suitable environment, a suitable diet, the ability to express normal behaviour, housing with or apart from other animals as appropriate and the freedom from pain, suffering, injury or disease . The Bill has been written to replace existing animal welfare legislation, most of which dates back to 1911. Redwings, along with other active welfare organisations, know the restrictions of these laws only too well as it works to improve the lives of neglected equines all over the country. Redwings has been an active member of the National Equine Welfare Council (NEWC) for several years and through them has worked hard to support and shape the much needed changes which the Animal Welfare Bill will bring about. A standing committee of cross-party MPs will now look at the Bill in more detail before it receives its third reading in the House of Commons and is then passed to the House of Lords. It is hoped the Bill may be active by Summer 2006. For more information on the progress of the Animal Welfare Bill, visit the welfare pages and select 'welfare issues'. >back Links \| Accessibility \| Privacy policy \| Site map \| ©Redwings 2005	advanced search