Animal welfare
Plain English guidance on animal welfare can be found on the Business Link website.
These pages contain a wide range of guidance, legislation and codes of practice designed to protect animal welfare on farms, in transport, at markets and at slaughter.
Latest news
6 December 2011 - UK unites to stamp out battery cages
Key documents
- Protecting the welfare of pet dogs and cats during journeys – Advice for owners
- Animal Welfare Act 2006 – It’s your duty to care
Main legislation
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes owners and keepers responsible for ensuring that the welfare needs of their animals are met. These include the need:
- for a suitable environment (place to live)
- for a suitable diet
- to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
- to be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable)
- to be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease
Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare needs, may be banned from owning animals, fined up to £20,000 and/or sent to prison.
The welfare of farmed animals is additionally protected by The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007 No 2078) (as amended), which are made under the Animal Welfare Act.
The Welfare of Animals at Markets Order 1990 (WAMO) contains rules covering the treatment of animals in markets to ensure they are not caused injury or unnecessary suffering. They also set out detailed arrangements in respect of penning, food and water and the care of young animals. Responsibility for enforcing WAMO rests with Local Authorities.
Specific information on transport Legislation is available.
See also
- Protecting pets from cruelty
- Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) – FAWC is an independent advisory body which publishes its advice on various aspects of farm animal welfare to inform the government and the wider public on welfare issues.
- Animal Welfare Science and Research projects – In order to maintain and, where appropriate, improve animal welfare, Defra uses both scientific research and expert opinion to ensure that policy initiatives have a robust evidence base.