Standing Up for Animal Welfare

As a growing nation of animal lovers, improving animal welfare is not a niche issue, but a moral responsibility. How we treat them reflects on our values as a society, and cruelty in any form must be considered unacceptable.

That concern was reflected at the recent RSPCA “Delivering for Animals” event in Westminster, which brought together animal welfare organisations and MPs to focus on how we turn long-standing commitments into real improvements for animals’ lives.

In 2024 alone, the RSPCA investigated 61,000 reports of animal cruelty; working tirelessly to support prosecutions, rescue animals, and help owners who are struggling to cope. In this area, the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy is a step in the right direction and provides an important framework for improving standards for animals on farms, in homes, the wild and overseas.

The Liberal Democrats have a long-standing record of standing up for animals, and we will push the Government to introduce a ban on the sale of all products in the UK that are illegal to produce here. We also remain determined to ensure that UK welfare standards are not undermined by trade deals that allow lower-welfare imports, undercutting British farmers who operate to higher standards.

As a dog owner myself, and like millions of others across the UK, animal welfare is an issue close to my heart. This must be about compassion and recognising that as sentient beings, they deserve proper protection and support.