The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill, a key piece of legislation aimed at protecting domesticated animals, has been put on hold by the government due to “scope creep”. The move has attracted criticism from animal welfare campaigners, who accuse the government of breaking its election manifesto promises and betraying public trust. Environment minister Mark Spencer maintains that many of the issues addressed by the bill, such as a permanent prohibition on the export of live animals, will still be tackled. He noted that the bill could not go ahead due to the inclusion of amendments that would surpass the commitments described in the Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto. While the government denies the bill was meant to protect wild animals, speculation has arisen over whether Labour MPs attempted to add clauses to outlaw fox hunting. The bill will be broken down and addressed through individual measures in Parliament instead. The government maintains its commitment to implementing its manifesto objectives, which includes cracking down on puppy smuggling and introducing a ban on keeping monkeys and other primates as pets.
The Animal Welfare Bill was cancelled due to “scope creep.”
