Animal Welfare Plan for Wales: year 3 progress report

Our Animal Welfare Plan for Wales was published in November 2021. It sets out how we will deliver our four Programme for Government (PfG) commitments and other priorities for animal welfare.

Our ambition is for all animals in Wales to have a good quality of life. This is a strategic objective of our Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework, which forms the foundations upon which our five-year Animal Welfare Plan has been developed. 

This report provides an update on progress made throughout 2024, the third year. Progress reports for the first and second years. 

We have made good progress on delivering our priorities for animal welfare:

• Our 12-week consultation on the licensing of animal welfare establishments, activities and exhibits closed in March 2024. A summary of responses and written statement were published in December 2024. Our response to the consultation and next steps were published June 2025.
• As announced in February 2025 by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, we are moving to a ban on greyhound racing as soon as practicably possible.
• The Local Authority enforcement project, rebranded Animal Licensing Wales, is now well established with regional enforcement officers, support officers and a system coordinator in place. As of January 2025, four training courses have been delivered to 60 officers across 12 Local Authorities in Wales, with 26 of these officers completing the additional requirements to meet the qualification for pet sellers.
• Regulations requiring CCTV cameras to be installed in slaughterhouses in all areas where live animals are present have come into force.
• The export of live cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and equines for slaughter, or for fattening, beginning in or transiting through Great Britain has been banned.
• We held our second annual multi-agency summit on Responsible Dog Breeding & Ownership, complementing a series of workshops held throughout 2024. 

PfG Commitment 1: Develop a national model for regulation of animal welfare, introducing registration for animal welfare establishments, commercial breeders for pets or for shooting, and animal exhibits

• In March 2024 we concluded a 12-week public consultation on licensing of animal welfare establishments, activities and exhibits. Together with an earlier call for evidence, this formed the first stage of the development of a National Model for the regulation of animal welfare. The Summary of Responses and a written statement were published in December 2024.
• The consultation was wide-ranging and complex, spanning four key themes – animal welfare establishments, animal activities, animal exhibits and racing dogs. This final category was included in recognition of significant and ongoing public interest in the welfare of racing greyhounds.
• Respondents agreed that many establishments, activities and exhibits could benefit from a consistent form of regulation or setting of standards under a National Model of licensing or registration. There was consensus that regulation needed to be proportionate, fit for purpose and activity-specific, supported by a consistent, adequately resourced and qualified enforcement framework.
• We intend to undertake a phased approach to the introduction of a National Model for animal welfare, focusing efforts on those areas which may benefit from regulation, taking account of the evidence, views and information submitted.
• We will continue to work in partnership with our stakeholders, operational agencies, and the third sector to develop our approach to regulation.
• As announced in February 2025 by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, we are moving to a ban on greyhound racing as soon as practicably possible. We are setting up an Implementation Group that will provide information and practical advice to the Government. It will represent various stakeholders and provide guidance to ensure the welfare of racing dogs throughout the process, while also supporting efforts to mitigate impacts on the local community and economy.
• As part of the statement on the legislative programme, the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery announced in April 2025 that the Welsh Government will bring forward legislation during the autumn, to deliver the commitment to ban greyhound racing in Wales.
• Our response to the consultation on licensing of animal welfare establishments, activities and exhibits, and our next steps were published June 2025.

PfG Commitment 2: Improve the qualifications for animal welfare inspectors to raise their professional status

• Now well established, Animal Licensing Wales continues to advance shared aims of effective enforcement, strengthened guidance and support, leading to improved animal health and welfare outcomes.
• Eight regional enforcement officers, two support officers and one system coordinator have taken up posts, creating a higher level of expertise to support Local Authorities with more complex welfare cases.
• Officers have undertaken 787 inspections leading to 68 Improvement Notices being served under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. These inspections have provided intelligence on unlicensed dog breeders. Between February 2023 and January 2025, 423 intelligence calls led to 132 investigations.
• The team conducted operations at Welsh ports checking compliance with the pet travel scheme and the commercial movement of pets rules. As of December 2024, 215 vehicle checks have been completed.
• The team led training sessions for 73 vets, after identifying a training need to carry out fit to breed inspections at dog breeding establishments. These sessions have been across the country and were well received by participants.
• In September 2024, the team’s efforts were recognised in the prestigious RSPCA PawPrints Awards. Presented with a special recognition award, Animal Licensing Wales (ALW) were commended: 

“Since its inception in 2021, ALW has played a transformative role in enhancing animal welfare enforcement across Wales, particularly in tackling illegal dog breeding and puppy importation. With a specialised team supporting local authorities, ALW has helped secure significant prosecutions and positive welfare outcomes, setting a new standard for consistency and excellence in the field. Their innovative training programmes and collaborative efforts have not only improved animal welfare, but also positioned Wales as a leader in animal welfare enforcement across the UK.”   

• Animal Licensing Wales developed a website and application portal, being piloted by two Local Authorities to provide a single point of reference for dog breeding enquiries, applications, and guidance. This is already proving a valuable resource, with 26 applications and three enquiries received since its launch.

PfG Commitment 3: Require CCTV in all slaughterhouses

• Regulations requiring CCTV cameras to be installed in all slaughterhouses in all areas where live animals are present have come into force. The Mandatory Use of Closed Circuit Television in Slaughterhouses (Wales) Regulations 2024 were approved by the Senedd in May 2024.
• The regulations came into force in two stages. The requirements to install and operate a CCTV system and keep footage and information came into force in June 2024. Slaughterhouse operators must install CCTV cameras in areas where live animals are unloaded, kept, handled, stunned and killed. They must retain recorded images for a minimum of 90 days. The offences and powers to inspect, seize and enforce the regulations came into force in December 2024.
• This provided a six-month period where the Food Standards Agency (FSA) worked with slaughterhouse operators to ensure they were compliant, ahead of the regulations being enforced. We have published guidance to help slaughterhouse operators comply with the regulations. The FSA will make use of CCTV as part of its existing enforcement role at slaughterhouses.
• We know CCTV can improve the efficiency of monitoring and enforcement activity. This will support improved consumer confidence that welfare standards are being delivered.  

PfG Commitment 4: Restrict the use of cages for Farmed Animals

• We are working with other administrations to consider how we can further improve our already high standards of farmed animal welfare.
• We have commissioned the Animal Welfare Committee, alongside the UK and Scottish Governments, to advise on existing and alternative non-cage systems for laying hens. This will inform our next steps on the use of cages in the sector. 

Statutory Guidance for the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021

• Our statutory guidance for pet sales was published in 2021.
• As of December 2024, Welsh Government funding has enabled three training courses to be delivered to 60 officers across all Local Authorities and provided material on the licensing requirements for pet sellers. A further training course is scheduled for 2025.
• Animal Licensing Wales will work in partnership with the Welsh Government, Local Authorities, and other interested parties to further develop individual modules for the different areas of animal licensing as they develop.

Make further updates to statutory Guidance for the Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations 2014

• Improved statutory guidance is being developed, with the support of Animal Licensing Wales, to clarify and strengthen key areas related to enforcement.
• Further recommendations have been made through the Responsible Dog Breeding and Ownership workshops to support the review of the Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations 2014.

Licensing of Animal Exhibits & Animal Establishments

• Our 12-week consultation which focused on the licensing of animal welfare establishments, activities and exhibits closed in March 2024.
• The consultation was wide-ranging, and engagement was high, with over 1180 responses received. We are grateful to all respondents for their input, which will help shape future development of a National Model for the regulation of animal welfare.
• In acknowledgement of ongoing interest in the welfare of racing greyhounds, two greyhound based questions were included in our consultation.
• A summary of responses and written statement were published in December 2024. Our response to the consultation and next steps were published June 2025.

Microchipping of dogs and cats

• Our collaborative work on Responsible Dog Breeding and Ownership has effectively highlighted specific issues with the current microchipping platform for dogs. We will consider amendments to improve enforcement and database management, as well as new microchipping regulations for dogs and cats.
• Proposals to extend compulsory microchipping to cats will be considered once the current legislation and database infrastructure are deemed effective.
• We are continuing to work in partnership with other administrations to ensure any future changes to the collection and use of microchipping data meets the needs of the public and enforcement agencies alike. 

Responsible Dog Breeding and Ownership (RDB&O) 

• Following the RDB&O: Action on Dangerous Dogs summit held in 2023, which brought together Local Authorities, police, and dog welfare campaigners, a series of workshops were held throughout 2024.
• The events focused on identifying issues and emerging trends, capturing actions, and developing strategies to address these challenges. They provided a platform for stakeholders to share insights and collaborate on solutions.
• The RDB&O annual summit was held in October 2024, hosted by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, and Dr Richard Irvine, Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales. Stakeholders updated on progress and shared highlights and successes in RDB&O over the past year.
• A written statement on the progress we have made was published in November 2024.

Welfare in Transport/Live Export Ban 

• The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024 bans the export of live cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and equines for slaughter, including fattening for subsequent slaughter, beginning in or transiting through Great Britain to EU member states and other third countries.
• We supported the ban on live animal export for slaughter and fattening. Animals should only be transported when necessary and journey durations should be minimised. The export of animals for slaughter or fattening is unnecessary because they could be slaughtered or fattened domestically.
• The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Enforcement Regulations 2024, which make provisions for the enforcement of the ban on live export, came into force in January 2025.
• We continue to work with the UK and Scottish Governments, and stakeholders to consider how the protection of animal welfare during domestic transport can be strengthened. 

Private Members Bills

• The Animal Welfare (Imports of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill and the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendments) Bill were introduced to the UK Parliament as single-issue Private Members Bills in 2023. With the dissolution of Parliament for the July 2024 General Election, all Parliamentary business ceased and both Bills fell.
• In October 2024, both Bills were reintroduced, again as Private Member Bills.
• The Animal Welfare (Imports of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill makes provision to restrict the commercial importation and non-commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets into the UK from third countries, on animal welfare grounds.
• The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendments) Bill includes a number of provisions to deliver amendments to the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 to improve enforcement in response to incidents of livestock worrying by dogs.
• We fully support both Bills which aim to deliver important and much-needed animal welfare reform. 

Engagement with the Animal Welfare Committee

• The Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) advises Governments on the welfare of farmed, companion and wild animals kept by people.
• We commission advice from AWC along with the other Devolved Governments. Opinion papers and advice published by AWC during 2024, include:

Opinion on cat breeding practices

Opinion on specialised dog reproductive practices

Opinion on high expansion nitrogen foam for culling poultry

Advice on preslaughter handling of horses

Advice on emergency culling for the depopulation of poultry affected by high pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)

Opinion on chick culling alternatives

Opinion on the welfare of farmed fish at the time of killing

Castration and tail-docking of lambs

• We continue to work with the UK and Scottish Governments, and stakeholders, to consider the Animal Welfare Committee’s conclusions and recommendations on the welfare implications of castration and tail-docking of lambs, as well as research by Scotland’s Rural College on new prototype devices. We are seeking consistent policy across Great Britain to achieve the highest welfare outcomes for lambs.
• Castration and tail-docking are painful procedures which result in both immediate and ongoing pain. Sheep farmers should consider carefully if either procedure is necessary, in discussion with their veterinary surgeon. If necessary for welfare or management purposes, then these procedures must be carried out in accordance with the law.