Meetings

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021 – Explanatory Memorandum

The Committee considered the correspondence received and noted that The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021 had been passed by the Senedd in March 2021. The Committee therefore congratulated campaigners, and agreed to close the petition.

This petition was considered alongside petitions P-05-915 Call for better enforcement of puppy farms in Wales and P-05-939 Immediate embargo on new dog breeding licences, licence renewals and planning applications until regulations are fit for purpose and enforceable.

The Committee noted the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021 that have been proposed for agreement by the Senedd on 23 March, and agreed to pass the petitions for further consideration by its successor committee in the next Senedd term.

This petition was considered alongside petitions P-05-915 Call for better enforcement of puppy farms in Wales and P-05-939 Immediate embargo on new dog breeding licences, licence renewals and planning applications until regulations are fit for purpose and enforceable.

The Committee considered the statements issued by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs and agreed to seek clarification as to when such legislation to ban third party sales of puppies and kittens would be introduced.

Nb. Following the meeting the Minister published The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021 on 27 January 2021.

The Committee considered the petition alongside P-05-915 Call for better enforcement of puppy farms in Wales and agreed to await a further announcement by the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs of actions to be taken following the review of dog breeding regulations, before considering whether to take any further actions on the petitions.

The Committee considered further correspondence and agreed to write to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to request a timescale in which she expects the ‘urgent and immediate’ review of the dog breeding regulations to be completed, and for decisions over how to progress to be made.

The Committee considered an update and further correspondence and agreed to write to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to welcome the announcement that she intends to introduce a ban on third party sales of puppies and kittens, and to ask for details of the intended process and timescales for this.

The Committee considered correspondence from the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs and agreed to keep a watching brief on this issue until the outcome of the Welsh Government’s current consultation on a ban, before considering what further action may be required on the petition.

The Committee considered the petition for the first time and agreed to:

• write to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs to ask her to provide indicative timescales for reaching a decision on this issue following the imminent consultation, and taking forward any subsequent work such as bring forward legislation; and

·         await the outcome of the consultation before considering what further action may be required on the petition, including a Plenary debate.