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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken to (a) change the maximum penalty for offences under section 32(1) of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and (b) make it easier to prosecute attacks on service animals.

The Government has already announced that it will increase the custodial maximum penalty for animal cruelty from 6 months’ imprisonment to 5 years’ imprisonment.

In addition, the Government is supporting Sir Oliver Heald’s Animal Welfare (Service Animals) Bill which will make it easier to prosecute someone for attacking a service animal.