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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to implement mandatory reporting by veterinarians of the euthanasia of (a) healthy and (b) otherwise treatable animals.

Euthanasia of an animal is an important means to help protect animal welfare by being able to relieve suffering. Whilst this is the primary reason for euthanasia, a veterinary surgeon must also take account of the owners’ wishes and circumstances. Advice about euthanasia is laid out in the guidance underpinning the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ Code of Professional Conduct, which all veterinary surgeons practising in the UK must adhere to. Where a veterinary surgeon considers a request for euthanasia is not in the best interest of the animal, they can challenge this.

We have not seen evidence of widespread unnecessary euthanasia and we do not consider that the case for a new reporting requirement has been established.