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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of covid-19-related economic pressures on dog owners on the welfare of their dogs.

The Government recognises that the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect individuals, businesses and charities caring for animals, including as a result of the economic pressures that some owners may be subject to. In April 2020, the Government commissioned the Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to advise on the potential short-term animal welfare impacts relating to the pandemic. Their preliminary report in June 2020 highlighted some concerns about the ability of businesses, veterinarians and charities to continue to provide services to animal keepers; the need for contingency planning; and the impact of owners’ physical and mental health on their ability to care for their animals. However, the committee’s second report, published in December 2020, concluded that many of the animal welfare risks identified in its first report had not been fully realised, particularly in the case of companion animals.

The Government has also provided updated advice for pet owners on looking after their animals throughout the pandemic: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-people-with-animals We also continue to maintain close contact with animal welfare organisations, monitoring trends in animal cruelty levels, pet acquisition and pet relinquishments.

These organisations do valuable work, often on a voluntary basis, protecting animals against cruelty and, in the case of rescue and rehoming organisations, ensuring that unwanted and abandoned animals in the UK are offered the opportunity of a forever home. Throughout this challenging period, we have ensured that rescue and rehoming organisations are permitted to stay open, that staff and volunteers can continue to work and tend to the animals in their care, and that rehoming, fostering and adoption services can continue in accordance with Covid-19 secure guidance.

The sector has kept us regularly updated of the developing situation, sharing their surveys particularly with respect to rescue and rehoming rates, and information on cruelty investigations. The latest figures from a survey by the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) show that in Quarter 4 of 2020 there was a 24% Year on Year reduction of cat intake and a 32% reduction in dogs entering rescues. 68% of rescues have reported more people wish to foster dogs or cats and 58% have seen an increase in people wishing to rehome a dog or cat, illustrating the resilience of the sector and the positive picture for pets.

With the exception of those businesses and venues required to close, the Government has emphasised that it is important for business to carry on, not least to ensure the economy keeps working and in the case of pet businesses and animal welfare charities to help safeguard the welfare of the nation’s pets. Pet businesses play a key role in this and should operate within the strict advice on social distancing and hygiene. In addition, the Canine and Feline Sector Group has issued its own guidance to owners and pet businesses on how they can care for their pets and continue to operate under the restrictions in place to limit the spread of coronavirus. See: https://www.cfsg.org.uk/coronavirus/

We will maintain our close dialogue with animal welfare organisations, enforcement agencies and sector groups to understand the longer-term impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, monitor the animal welfare implications of this and offer appropriate advice.