Tonia Antoniazzi MP welcomes ban on trail hunting and crackdown on puppy smuggling

Tonia Antoniazzi MP has welcomed the Government’s new Animal Welfare Strategy, with its clear commitment to ban trail hunting and take further action to end puppy smuggling.
 
The strategy published by the UK Labour Government delivers some of the strongest animal welfare reforms in a generation, including a ban on trail hunting which addresses growing concerns that the practice has been used as a smokescreen for the illegal hunting of live foxes with dogs. 
 
More than 20 years after the Hunting Act came into force, the ban will help ensure wildlife is properly protected and the law is enforced as intended.
 
The Strategy also builds on recent legislation to end puppy smuggling, which has targeted unscrupulous traders and helped prevent the import of underage, heavily pregnant or mistreated dogs.
 
Many of these reforms follow progress already made in Wales, which has led the way on animal welfare in recent years. Measures such as banning electric shock collars and taking a tougher stance on animal cruelty have helped raise standards, and the new Strategy ensures England moves closer to those higher protections.
 
Tonia Antoniazzi MP said “Banning trail hunting is long overdue. For too long it has been used to undermine existing protections for wildlife and skirt the fox hunting ban, and I’m proud to support action that finally closes that loophole.
 
“I also strongly welcome the continued crackdown on puppy smuggling. These practices cause immense suffering and have no place in a modern society.
 
“Wales has shown real leadership on animal welfare, and it’s right that these reforms help bring England up to speed, so animals are protected to high standards wherever they live.”
 
The Government will work with animal welfare organisations, enforcement bodies and local communities to deliver the Strategy in full by 2030.
 
Michael Webb, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Battersea said, "Battersea welcomes the Government’s new Animal Welfare Strategy. The reforms laid  out in the Strategy will address some of the key issues that we as a charity have been campaigning for over many years, including regulating the rescue sector, tackling bad breeding practices and putting an end to puppy smuggling.
 
“There is clearly still a lot of detail to work out, and the Strategy does not claim to tackle every problem animals face. However, Battersea is hopeful that it will be the catalyst for real, lasting change and ultimately make a brighter future for animals across the country. We look forward to working alongside the Government to ensure these promises are implemented effectively and ultimately safeguard the welfare of dogs and cats.”