Stronger enforcement of animal protection laws takes centre stage in Houses of Parliament
The enforcement crisis: a system failing animals
Since 2006, Animal Equality has investigated more than 820 factory farms and slaughterhouses, exposing a harsh reality: based on our findings, the vast majority break animal welfare laws without consequence. Our investigations have revealed piglets routinely having their tails cut off without pain relief, cows struggling to walk on hard concrete floors while carrying unnaturally high volumes of milk, and hens having their beaks painfully seared off.
These abuses persist due to significant enforcement gaps, as highlighted in our Enforcement Problem report, co-authored with The Animal Law Foundation. Between 2018 and 2021, we uncovered shocking statistics:
- Fewer than 3% of UK farms were inspected annually – meaning 97% went unchecked.
- Only half (50.45%) of farms that received complaints about animal welfare concerns were subsequently inspected.
- Of those inspected, around one-third (31.38%) were found to be non-compliant.
- Just 0.33% of farms faced prosecution following the initial complaints.
A later report from the Animal Law Foundation echoed these findings. Examining data from all central regulators and 168 local authorities between 2022-2023, they found that only 2.5% of farms were inspected, with fewer than 1% of identified non-compliance cases leading to prosecution.
Time and again, we see animal welfare laws flouted – often by large animal agricultural companies that know they’ll face nothing more than a slap on the wrist. With no meaningful deterrent, farmed animals pay the price and suffer in silence. A law that isn’t upheld is no law at all. Transparency is key – people deserve the truth, not misleading marketing.
Abigail Penny, Executive Director, Animal Equality UK
For a nation that prides itself on being animal lovers, this is a disgrace. Urgent action is needed.
Closing the enforcement gap
Following the release of the Enforcement Problem report, Animal Equality published The Enforcement Solution, outlining how the Government can begin to fix these failures. Of course, the best way would be to simply support farmers to transition away from animal agriculture altogether – which would end animal cruelty in one fell swoop. And, for remaining farms, increased scrutiny would go a long way.
We also commissioned research from the Social Market Foundation to build on our proposed solutions, reinforce our findings and propose practical solutions, including:
- Centralising enforcement: Responsibility for enforcing animal welfare laws should sit exclusively with the Animal and Plant Health agency (APHA), bringing the process in-house and making it more streamlined.
- Increasing transparency: APHA and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) should publish detailed data on inspections, non-compliance rates, and enforcement actions to enable public scrutiny.
- Increase scrutiny: Following the EU’s example, the UK Government should introduce an Animal Welfare Commissioner to hold the Government accountable on its progress and to enhance APHA’s focus and effectiveness.
- Strengthening penalties: Enforcement agencies should have the authority to mandate animal welfare education and to retain fines from penalty notices, as is the case with speeding tickets for drivers.
- Enhancing inspection triggers: Reports to authorities should be triggered when indications are found that non-compliances are taking place on farms, such as chickens suffering from hock burns (from sitting in their own urine) or pigs who have had their tails cut off.
We are being heard
Before the APGAW session, the Animal Sentience Committee (ASC) – a Government advisory body – published a report that echoed what animal advocates have been saying for years.
Citing poor enforcement of welfare laws and calling for increased transparency on UK farms, the report has reignited calls for urgent action to detect and prevent illegal animal abuse.
The report notes that a ‘structured, fair and integrated system of animal welfare surveillance and enforcement is lacking’, leading to ‘unnecessary suffering’ that might occur due to ‘ignorance, desperation or loss of control’.
Crucially, the ASC endorsed our proposals! Suggestions include:
- Introduction of a farm licensing scheme. Licenses are currently issued for zoos, breeding facilities, taxi drivers, wine merchants and even scaffolders, but not farms. This would ensure more frequent and robust inspections.
- Centralised responsibility for enforcement to sit under the Animal & Plant Health Agency, so as to streamline regulation. Currently, there are over 174 bodies responsible for enforcement of farmed animal laws.
- Heightened transparency around the criteria used to select farms for inspection. Inspections at present are determined on a ‘risk-based’ assessment, which campaigners argue is a “reactive and inappropriate approach”.
- Increased use of penalty notices and improvement notices, when illegality is found by inspectors.
As a spokesperson for the Social Market Foundation aptly put it,
if the government is serious about its promise to deliver the biggest boost to animal welfare in a generation, it ought to take these recommendations forward as a matter of urgency.
On the cusp of the biggest breakthrough yet
Given the substantial data provided to the Government by Animal Equality and others, including one of its own advisory groups, it is no surprise that animal protection law enforcement is finally being recognised as a critical issue. And that those in charge are speaking out.
Baroness Hayman of Ullock, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at DEFRA, acknowledged the need for ‘correct enforcement’ to make legislation meaningful, stating that ‘if you’re looking at what is going to make the biggest impact for animal welfare, then it is probably enforcement.’ She also emphasised the need for more veterinarians, training, information, and inspections.
Lord Trees, Chair of APGAW, clearly agreed, concluding the event by saying ‘enforcement, we all agree, is a big, big issue.’
This is a big deal for animals. Never before has there been such a heavy emphasis and acknowledgement on animal protection law enforcement from leaders at the top.
What’s next?
With pressure mounting from campaigners, experts, and even the Government’s own advisory bodies, the UK stands at a turning point. The evidence is overwhelming, and the message is clear: enforcement of animal protection laws cannot remain an afterthought. The question now is – will the Government finally step up, or will farmed animals continue to suffer behind closed doors?
Animal Equality refuses to let this issue be ignored. We will keep pushing until every farm is held accountable, every law is enforced, and every animal is protected. In the coming months, we have a series of bold actions planned to ensure enforcement remains a political priority.
But we can’t do it alone. By adding your name to Animal Equality’s petition, you can demand real accountability – calling on the Government to crack down on animal cruelty, strengthen enforcement, and finally deliver the legal protections farmed land and aquatic animals desperately need. While we all continue to boycott animal products, and truly save lives, the least we can do is make sure those trapped in the animal agriculture system are given the best legal protections possible and that those protections actually mean something on the ground.
Every signature sends a powerful message: we will not stand by while the law fails those it is meant to protect.
Thank you for signing the petition. Small actions like this add up and change the world!
Animals are suffering behind closed doors, but you can lend your voice to speak up for them. Please help by sharing this petition with at least three people who also care about animals.
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