Animal Sentience

Thank you for contacting me about animal sentience.
 
The Government is committed to making any necessary changes to UK law to ensure animal sentience is legally recognised after the transition period and Legislation will be brought forward when Parliamentary time allows. This also includes ensuring the UK has an effective means of making sure animal sentience is reflected in future policy decisions. I understand that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is currently assessing how best to support Government departments in considering the welfare needs of sentient animals when they are developing and implementing Government policy, as well as continuing to engage closely with relevant organisations and authorities to enhance its policies on this issue further.
 
Action is being taken to improve animal welfare at home and abroad including by banning third party sales of puppies, and introducing one of the world’s toughest bans on ivory sales. I believe this demonstrates the Government’s serious commitment to animal welfare.
 
Having left the EU, the UK will now have the opportunity to do more. A consultation will shortly be carried out on restricting live animal journeys, requiring approval for longer journeys and bringing forward welfare conditions for these journeys when they are necessary. The Government is also looking at proposals to ban the trade in pet primates, extending compulsory microchipping to cats and controlling the trade in hunting trophies from endangered animals.
 
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.