While this is not new to anyone who owns a pet, the UK government is the first to legally recognize animal emotion.
The law will provide many new protections for UK animals, a victory for all animal lovers.
“We have long called for UK law recognizing animals as sentient beings, and that sentiment gets the right impression when policies are formulated and implemented,” said James West, policy manager for compassion in world agriculture.
Pets and pets will come under this law to leave wild animals. These laws apply only to vertebrates and include electronic collars (providing electric shocks), importing most hunting trophies, exporting live animals for slaughter or slaughter, and keeping animals as pets. The new measures are aimed at reducing pet theft.
One measure that affects many families is the mandatory microchip for pet cats. Dogs must receive microchips from 2016, and owners are subject to a fine of £ 500 for failing to comply with this rule. Now the UK needs to start appointing 2.6 million chipless pet cats. Considering that cat theft has increased by more than 12% in the past year, Microchip will help reunite stray cats with their owners, while at the same time reducing the abandonment of these animals.
Animal rights advocates wanted the bird cages and birth boxes to be banned at the same time, but that has not yet happened.
Overall, this is a big step. “We are the country of animal lovers, the first country in the world to pass animal welfare laws,” said George Eustis, the UK’s Secretary of Environment. “As an independent nation, we can go much further than before to create our best historical record.”
