If something odd becomes law in Britain, it isn’t long before someone in the United States will figure we need to follow suit. So be on the lookout for the animal “bill of rights.”
Pets in the United Kingdom are to be given five “freedoms” under new legislation before Parliament that aims to raise the standards of welfare by fining or jailing owners who neglect their animals, according to The London Telegraph.
The freedoms include appropriate diet, suitable living conditions, companionship or solitude as appropriate, monitoring for abnormal behavior and protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
They are contained in the Animal Welfare Bill, which is expected to clear Parliament and creates a new offense of deliberately neglecting the welfare of a pet.
Owners could be fined up to £5,000 ($8,000 US) or given a prison sentence if a pet is kept in such a way that will inevitably lead to suffering in the future. This is a significant shift from existing law, where action can only be taken against an owner if an animal is suffering.
Once the bill becomes law, secondary legislation could be introduced creating codes of conduct for different types of pet.
“It won’t be a case of people breaking the door down because the dog missed its meal,” one official said. “The vast majority of owners and animal-keepers in this country are totally responsible and will not notice this law.”
England already has farm animal codes that do not lay down laws, but advise owners on good practice and conditions for their animals. Owners cannot be prosecuted for not complying with a code, but the codes may be used to assist in determining whether or not an offense has been committed.
“The Bill is about ensuring pet owners understand that they have a duty of care towards their charges,” said the spokesman.
The new offense will be enforced by local authority inspectors or police and does not give extra powers to the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals. The bill also bans the docking of dogs’ tails, and pets being won as prizes for anyone aged under 16. It increases from 12 to 16 the minimum age at which a child may buy a pet.