How are the Welsh Government encouraging the UK Government to reintroduce the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill in order to tackle the illegal importation of puppies into the UK?
The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill remains a priority and we await a report stage date from UK Government. I have laid Legislative Consent Memorandums for all clauses contained in the Bill in the Senedd.
I raised the Bill’s stalled progress at January’s Inter-Ministerial Group meeting and have since written to the Rt Hon Lord Benyon, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, expressing my concern at the delay and requesting the Bill be prioritised.
The illegal import of puppies is one of several key issues addressed in the Bill and I will continue to press for its progression.