§ Mr. SwayneTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation amending the Animals Act 1911 to make it an offence to keep an animal in a situation where it was likely to be caused suffering. [69387]
§ Mr. George HowarthThe law places the responsibility for taking care of animals on their owners or keepers, who may not cause them harm, intentionally or through neglect. Under the Protection of Animals Act 1911, it is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to any domestic or captive animal.
Since the mistreatment of animals can take many forms, the 1911 Act has been widely drawn to apply to any situation of unnecessary suffering. There are no plans at present to amend the 1911 Act to make it an offence of being likely to cause unnecessary suffering.