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 implications for his policies of the Vet Times's article entitled Animal beating reported ‘once every 15 minutes’ – RSPCA, published on 22 August 2025.

Cruelty to animals is unacceptable. The Government keeps animal welfare policy under review and is committed to ensuring that animals are protected from unnecessary suffering.

Enforcement of animal welfare standards is primarily delivered through the powers available under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, which makes it an offence to cause any animal unnecessary suffering or to fail to provide for its welfare.

The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act 2021 amended the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to increase the sentences available to our courts for the most serious cases of animal cruelty. Anyone who is cruel to an animal faces being sent to prison for up to five years, or receiving an unlimited fine, or both.