Found: Letter from Lord Carlile of Berriew to Baroness Hayman of Ullock re: Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Found: Letter from Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Defra) re: Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Found: .  Dogs Trust strongly supports the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill and is hopeful

Found: and non- commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets as set out in the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Found: Letter from Lord Carlile of Berriew to Baroness Hayman of Ullock re: Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Found: Correspondence from the Animal Sentience Committee regarding its report on Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the scoping review published in Animal Welfare on 4 November, The canine welfare, public health and environmental impact of systemic under-regulation within the UK puppy trade; and what action they will take to address the issues highlighted in it.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As outlined in our manifesto, the Government will end puppy smuggling and bring an end to puppy farming. To deliver this we are supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill which will close loopholes in the non-commercial pet travel rules that are abused by unscrupulous traders and give the Government powers to prevent the supply of low-welfare pets to the United Kingdom.

We are considering the most effective way to end puppy farming, including assessing a range of evidence, and will set out next steps in due course.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to tackle the illegal importation of puppies and kittens.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. That is why we are supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill.

The Bill successfully completed its Second Reading in the House of Lords on 5 September 2025. We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through the House of Lords as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of puppy smuggling.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Due to the illegal nature of this activity, we cannot know the true extent of puppy and kitten smuggling operations. The Animal and Plant Health Agency plays a critical role in monitoring and intercepting animals that do not meet legal importation standards including those that are underage.

As outlined in our manifesto, the Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling. That is why we are supporting the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill. We are fully supportive of this Bill and would like to see it pass through the House of Lords as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

We call on Parliament to amend the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill to allow exemptions for genuine rescue dogs with cropped ears or docked tails. Exemptions should apply only to registered organisations with proof of shelter origin.

Found: We call on Parliament to amend the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill to allow exemptions

We ask Parliament to include an exemption in the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill for registered charities and approved, responsible rescue organisations to rehome adult, disease tested dogs, who were previously docked as working hunting dogs abroad.

Found: We ask Parliament to include an exemption in the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Found: Government response to the Animal Sentience Committee report on the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Found: extend to Scotland or have a potential impact in Scotland, including the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Found: Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill Following the lodging of a Legislative Consent

Found: Supplementary Legislative Consent Memorandum (Memorandum No. 2) on the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Found: powers in UK Bills (see our reports related to the Mental Health Bill, the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Found: our Report on the Welsh Government’s Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

Found: recent reports: The Welsh Government’s Legislative Consent Memorandum on the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill