We received a petition asking:
“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to stop live animals being traded over the internet.”
Details of Petition:
“Every day, thousands of animals are traded and exploited over the internet. Free household pets are exploited by unscrupulus gangs and often resold, used as a breeding machine or baited for dog fighting. Breeders and breeding sites are free to trade as they please and with no-one to answer to they easily avoid paying taxes. Our schools and hospitals suffer as a direct result of them defrauding the system. This is abuse of animals and our society as a whole. We and the animals are being cheated by these people. Our society is unaware of what really happens to these animals and volume of tax payers money that is lost. It is beyond comprehension. We have to unite to make the abuse stop or create legislation to reduce animal suffering and make people accountable for their actions.”
· Read the petition
· Petitions homepage
Read the Government’s response
We are aware that pets are being sold over the internet, and we hope to introduce new regulations will address this. At present, we are considering making the following changes:
· Businesses that use internet sites for selling should be licensed in the same way as conventional pet shops.
· A member of the management of a pet shop or animal internet selling site should have a suitable animal welfare qualification (for new entrants only).
· Written advice addressing the welfare needs of the animal being sold will be made available to buyers at pet shops and on internet selling sites.
These will, of course, be subject to public consultation and Parliamentary approval. Currently the Pet Animals Act 1951 (as amended in 1983) controls the sale of all animals as pets from licensed premises. The 1951 Act requires any person selling pet animals to be licensed by the local authority. Before granting a licence, the authority must satisfy itself that the animals are kept in accommodation that is suitable and clean, that they are supplied with the appropriate food and drink, and are protected from disease and fire.
The maximum penalty under the 1951 Act is a fine of £500 and/or three months’ imprisonment. If a person is convicted under the Act or for any offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 a court may cancel any pet shop licence or disqualify a person from keeping a pet shop for any period as the court thinks fit. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 is the principal piece of legislation protecting all domestic and captive animals, in England and Wales. Under the 2006 Act, it is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to - or fail to provide for the welfare needs of - any domestic or captive animal.
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