Did you know - owners must make sure their pets are happy by law?
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British pet owners have a legal duty to make sure their pets are happy and healthy – but only 35 per cent of them have any idea that this law exists.
I’m already a pet owner, or thinking of getting a pet. What do I need to know?
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 (England and Wales) and Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) 2006 make a pet owner legally responsible for making sure any domesticated animal under their care has their welfare needs met.
A pet’s welfare needs will depend on their species; a cat has very different needs to a tortoise, for example.
What are the five welfare needs?
All domestic animals have the legal right to:
- live in a suitable environment
- eat a suitable diet
- exhibit normal behaviour patterns
- be housed with, or apart from, other animals
- be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease
Pet owners must make sure their pet’s welfare needs are met, otherwise they could be prosecuted.
You may also hear people referring to the five welfare needs as the ‘five fr...
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