Policy paper

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

Response to the Animal Sentience Committee's view on the consideration of impacts on animal welfare in the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Private Members Bill.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 13 January 2026

Documents

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

Ref: ISBN 978-1-5286-6096-9, E03494025 12/25

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This report is a response to the letter from the Animal Sentience Committee letter regarding the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Private Members Bill.

The Animal Sentience Committee is an independent committee of experts that was established by the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022. It is hosted by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). 

The Committee helps Parliament consider how ministerial decisions take the welfare of sentient animals into account. The Committee has a statutory ability to produce reports for Parliament and following publication of a report, the relevant Secretary of State has a statutory duty to lay a response before Parliament within 3 months.

Published 13 January 2026