The Government launched a consultation on its plans to increase animal cruelty sentences and include animal sentience in UK law. Find out more about the draft bill here and read OATA’s response to the consultation here.
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select committee also held a short inquiry into what was proposed. You can read its report here and the Government response here.
It’s disappointing to see that, despite strong words by the Committee on its approach to including the concept of sentience in UK law post Brexit, the Government does not appear to have taken much notice of its remarks, many of which OATA agreed with. We’re particularly interested in the Government’s comments about the status of organisms such as octopus and cephalopods which we will continue to monitor.