Scotland is a nation of animal lovers and leads the UK in taking the welfare of our pets, animals and livestock very seriously.
The SNP is committed to protecting the welfare of animals and will continue to legislate to improve the welfare of animals. The SNP Programme for Government committed the Scottish Government to creating new legislation to further protect animals and wildlife.
Maximum animal welfare sentences for causing unnecessary suffering will increase to 5 years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. This will bring Scotland in line with the rest of UK.
The SNP has also established an Animal Welfare Commission in Scotland, which will work to ensure that animal welfare considerations remain at the centre of all future policy making by the Scottish Government.
I and my SNP colleagues at Westminster signed an Early Day Motion (EDM 250) against animal testing and will stand up against the UK’s internal market proposals which could see lower animal welfare standards imposed on Scotland from Westminster. EU law is at the heart of the UK’s animal welfare rules and the SNP will fight to ensure existing protections are maintained after the transition period comes to an end.