Pet imports

What will this legislation do?

The Bill, which will go through its second reading on Friday 29 November at the House of Commons will:

• Help to stop pets being illegal smuggled into the UK: we’ve previously raised awareness of the plight of pets that are illegally smuggled into Great Britain, sometimes by criminal gangs who dupe new owners into buying sick or poorly socialised pets. This new legislation will reduce the number of animals that can travel under pet travel rules, and enable the government to bring in restrictions such as increasing the minimum age that puppies can enter the country.
• Ban imports of animals with mutilations: these new powers will also enable the government to bring in measures to ban the import of animals with cropped ears, which BVA and The FOAL Group have campaigned for through the #CutTheCrop campaign.
• Help prevent some diseases being imported: the Bill will introduce measures which could help reduce the risk of importing some diseases which are not currently endemic to the UK. Increasing the age at which animals can travel and preventing heavily pregnant bitches from coming to the UK will help to reduce the risk of diseases, such as Brucella canis, from being accidentally imported, as there is a heightened risk of transmission associated with pregnancy and abortion.

We’re working with Vet and MP Danny Chambers to progress this important Bill which is supported by many different groups, including vets, animal welfare charities, parliamentarians and the general public. Many of these measures have previously been close to becoming law in the Kept Animals Bill and the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill [2023-24], but have disappointingly failed to become law.

We are calling on this Government to deliver on its promised commitments to animal health and welfare by ensuring this important piece of legislation finally continues its passage into law.