RSPCA urges new Welsh Government to deliver animal welfare manifesto pledges
RSPCA Cymru is urging the new Welsh Government to deliver on Plaid Cymru’s animal welfare manifesto pledges in an open letter to the rural affairs minister.
The letter to Llyr Gruffydd MS, Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, calls for the commitments made in the party’s election manifesto to be prioritised by the new administration.
Those pledges included promoting responsible pet ownership and breeding, licensing animal rescues, and strengthening the rights of renters who own pets.
The charity says Wales has the highest proportion of self-described animal lovers in the UK, at 75 per cent, according to its annual Animal Kindness Index survey.
Scotland followed on 72 per cent, with England on 70 per cent and Northern Ireland on 69 per cent.
Billie-Jade Thomas, Senior Public Affairs Manager at RSPCA Cymru, said:
“It’s clear that Wales is a nation of animal lovers and that animal welfare is important to so many people.”
“We really do have the opportunity to make huge progress in our animal welfare standards in Wales under the new Welsh Government and we look forward to working with them to ensure every kind of animal in Wales has a good life. That starts with those at the helm of the new Welsh Government delivering on their manifesto commitments for animals.”
The letter also asks ministers to go further than the manifesto.
It calls for RSPCA inspectors to be given limited statutory powers, a specific pet abduction offence in Wales, regulation of livery yards, action on horse tethering, a ban on the use of cages in farming alongside mandatory labelling on animal products, and an approach to bovine TB that does not involve culling badgers.
Thomas said:
“To truly protect animals in Wales, we would love to see action on specific penalties for pet theft, improvements to equine welfare, raising farm animal welfare standards, a humane approach to Bovine TB, and more.”
“We need your help to ensure these critical issues aren’t left behind and we’re calling on our supporters and animal lovers to sign our open letter to make sure these issues are not forgotten about.”
Mr Gruffydd, who took up the rural affairs role on 13 May, represents the Clwyd constituency, which covers Flint, Holywell and Mold.
The open letter is available to sign on the RSPCA website.
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