Parliamentary Committees and Public Enquiries
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Chair responds to Kept Animals Bill

Neil Parish MP, Chair of the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, has responded to a new Bill which introduces restrictions on smuggling puppies and other domestic pets over the UK border.

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Neil Parish MP, Chair of the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee yesterday said:

"Puppy smuggling is a cruel and abhorrent practice. The EFRA Committee has called on the Government to introduce tougher restrictions for years, and I welcome their commitment to bring smugglers to justice. But introducing new laws is not enough. The Government must also ensure that it gives Border Force the resources to enforce the new rules. Our ongoing inquiry will look at both if the new rules go far enough and whether they will be enforced.”

"As part of the new Animal Welfare action plan, the Government has announced that it will end transporting live animals for meat, which will improve the welfare of thousands of animals. We must now ensure that we have the abattoir capacity in the UK so animals can be slaughtered here and the ban does not hurt British farmers."

In November 2016, the a report by the previous Parliament's Committee, also chaired by Mr Parish, concluded that the minimum age for puppy imports should be increased to six months and recommended increased spot checks at the border.

The current EFRA Committee is undertaking an inquiry into Moving Animals Across Borders, which explores the illegal trade in pets and the export of animals for slaughter overseas.

Further information

 

Channel website: http://www.parliament.uk/

Original article link: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/52/environment-food-and-rural-affairs-committee/news/155713/chair-responds-to-kept-animals-bill/

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