"We already have strong animal welfare laws. The problem is that they are too often not enforced" - Lord Trees. 

APGAW sets our four-stage plan to fix “broken” system

The animal welfare enforcement system in England and Wales is failing due to inconsistent, under-resourced systems, despite strong laws, a new report has found.

Published by the All-Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW), the report proposes a four-stage plan to fix what it calls a “broken enforcement system”.

It found that animal welfare is currently patchy, with too few well-trained inspectors, poor communication between agencies, and weak use of existing powers. It also notes that, as a result of the inconsistencies, animal cruelty and neglect often go undetected, while unethical operators exploit gaps in oversight.

To address this, the report sets out four key reforms, including properly trained animal welfare officers, improving welfare pay, greater public empowerment and closer collaboration between councils, animal charities, police and government.

APGAW stresses that enforcement is not about heavy-handed regulation, but about prevention, education and smarter use of existing laws. It also highlights links between poor animal welfare enforcement and wider social issues, such as dog attacks and domestic abuse.

Lord Trees, co-chair of the APGAW, said: “We already have strong animal welfare laws. The problem is that they are too often not enforced. Fixing enforcement is the single biggest opportunity to improve animal welfare in a generation.”

The full report, The Four Stages to Better Enforcement, is available on the APGAW website. 

Image (C) Shutterstock/Osman Temizel.