Government response to the Animal Sentience Committee report on the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill

This is the Government’s formal response to the Animal Sentience Committee’s report on the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill, published on 20 August 2025.

The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill was a Private Members’ Bill, sponsored by Dr Danny Chambers MP in the House of Commons and Lord Trees in the House of Lords. The Government is committed to ending puppy smuggling and was pleased to support the Bill’s passage through Parliament. The Bill received Royal Assent on 2 December 2025.

We are pleased to note that the Committee considered that the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill should result in positive animal welfare outcomes once enacted and implemented. We also note the Committee’s concerns around the potential welfare impacts of prolonged kennelling on pets that are detained for non-compliance with the new requirements. The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025 contains powers which will allow regulations to be made with a view to minimising the time that seized dogs and cats spend in kennels, thereby reducing potential welfare impacts.

We would like to thank the Committee for its consideration of the Bill. The Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act 2025 is an important milestone for the protection of dogs, cats and ferrets in the United Kingdom.

Presented to Parliament pursuant to Section 3 of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022

© Crown copyright 2025

ISBN: 978-1-5286-6096-9