Branded the ‘biggest animal welfare reforms in a generation’, the government has announced their plans to protect both domestic animals and wildlife. On 22 December, a new Animal Welfare Strategy was published. This strategy outlines the UK Government’s priorities for England, focusing on areas that require change and improvement by 2030. Public consultations on some of these will start this January (2026). 

Anything that aims to enhance the lives and well-being of animals has got to be a good thing, but what will be covered in these new reforms? And perhaps more importantly, how much of a difference will they make to the lives of the nation’s animals? 

Let’s look at the government’s plans in detail, so that you can make up your own mind. 

What’s included in the new Animal Rights reforms? 

The government have targeted several key areas in their plans for improving animal welfare. For simplicity, let’s divide these up into pets, farm animals/food production, and wildlife, focusing on some of the main headlines within each of these sections. 

Pets 

There is a clear focus on improving canine welfare, with the following areas being key – 

Ending puppy farming  

The government wants to consult on reforming current dog breeding practices. Dogs that are bred in inhumane conditions are often denied access to proper socialisation and health care. This can have implications in the short term, such as a poor quality of life for breeding bitches and increased puppy deaths, but issues can play out longer term, too.  

Puppies bred from puppy farms are more likely to have ongoing health issues, especially as pre-mating health screens are unlikely to have been carried out in breeding dogs. This has implications to the welfare of these puppies throughout their lives, but also can be a financial and emotional burden for their new owners. Puppy farms breed dogs as cheaply as possible to meet supply and demand, with little consideration to animal welfare. 

The introduction of new licences for domestic rescue and rehoming organisations  

The RSPCA and Association of Cats and Dogs Homes have been lobbying for licensing to be brought in for rescue centres and rehoming organisations. Concerns are increasing over behavioural issues and disease threats seen in imported pets. Many dogs arrive from countries like Romania, Ukraine and Macedonia, with poor health screening and little consideration as to new owner suitability. As well as a rise in pets with behavioural problems, there are worries about an increase in imported diseases such as Brucella canis – something that can impact both animal and human health. Licensing would ensure all rescue organisations are conforming to welfare standards, as even some UK based ones have been associated with neglect and misuse of public donations. 

Promoting responsible dog ownership to protect public safety  

The government has assembled the Responsible Dog Ownership taskforce, which is focused on reducing dog attacks and promoting responsible dog ownership. It is made up of various representatives, including animal welfare organisations, local authorities, and police. 

Banning the use of electric shock collars  

The government recognises the possible harm that adverse training devices could cause to our pets. Research shows that shock collars can cause psychological and physical harm to dogs. Dogs become stressed and fearful, which can lead to worsened behaviour. There are far better training methods available. 

Farm animals/food production 

Many areas for improved farm animal health and welfare are outlined in the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, which is due to be updated in early 2026. The most significant of these include – 

Ending the use of confinement systems like colony cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for pigs  

To protect piglets from being accidentally squashed and suffocated, as well as to keep workers safe, confinement systems called farrowing crates are often used. These restrict the female pig’s movements but also prevent her from carrying out normal behaviours, including nesting, which is detrimental to her welfare.  

Similarly, in egg-laying hens, colony cages are often used. These contain a bit more enrichment than battery cages but are still a form of confinement. Chickens are kept in small groups of about 90 birds, with the potential to roost, stretch and nest. However, this is still not the same freedom that outdoor hens and free-range flocks experience and still limit normal behaviours like dustbathing.  

The government want to encourage higher welfare standards and improved quality of life for these animals. 

Encouraging a shift towards slower-growing broiler breeds of chicken  

The government want to support The Better Chicken Commitment and encourage healthier, slower-growing breeds. Most breeds of meat chickens have been genetically selected over generations to grow as big as possible over a very short time period, with the least amount of feed possible.   

While this obviously results in cheap meat, it also means an increase in death and disease. Some of these birds struggle to support their own body weight, and they are left unable to stand and walk. Other areas of focus include lower stocking densities and a reduction in other practices like thinning chickens (removing some chickens from a shed earlier than others, maximising the number of birds that can be reared in a shed at one time, but also increasing disease risks).  

Addressing welfare concerns around the use of carbon dioxide stunning in pig slaughter  

This method of stunning ahead of slaughter involves exposing pigs to high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) causing a reduction in circulating oxygen in their blood stream, known as hypoxia. Animals experience a gradual loss of consciousness and show reflex behaviours like gasping and convulsions. The government has stated that this causes pigs to experience pain, respiratory distress and fear, which are major welfare concerns. Other techniques, such as electrical stunning systems that provide a near-instant stun, are often considered preferable to gas stunning. 

There is also going to be the introduction of humane slaughter requirements for farmed fish. This will include – 

A ban on boiling live lobsters/crabs  

According to one source, the government states that ‘live boiling is not an acceptable killing method’ and will ban this practice. This follows on from previous legislation, which explored the fact that decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs (e.g. squid and octopus) are “sentient beings capable of experiencing pain and suffering”. 

Wildlife 

As well as domestic species, the government is addressing wildlife issues too. These include – 

Banning trail hunting  

Fox hunting was made illegal in England and Wales under the Hunting Act 2004. This prevents people from hunting wild mammals with dogs. However, until now, trail hunting has still been permitted. This legal alternative involves a scent trail being laid for hounds to follow, using the urine of foxes, hares or other animals. However, this does not prevent the hounds from picking up the scent of live animals and following that instead, leading to chases and potential kills.  

Critics suggest that illegal hunting is allowed to continue under the guise of trail hunting. The government is going to close this “loophole” with a complete ban on trail hunting, which is likely to prove emotive in some rural communities. 

Banning snare traps  

Snare traps use wire loops that tighten around an animal’s limb if they accidentally step in them. Used to catch wildlife, snare traps cause injury and unnecessary suffering. While self-locking snares are already illegal, critics argue that even “free-running” devices will result in strangulation if the locking component is not properly set and the animal panics. Caught animals can be left distressed and in pain for long periods – although the law mandates daily checking, enforcement is difficult. Snare traps don’t discriminate and can also catch pets and protected wild species. For these reasons, the government will be banning their use, instead promoting more humane ways of managing wild animals in the countryside. 

Considering the introduction of a close season for hares  

Restricting the control of hares to certain periods of the year will reduce the number of leverets (young hares) left motherless, which leads to starvation and predation. This will bring hare control into line with conservation measures put in place for many other species. 

Will these new Animal Rights Reforms make a difference? 

There is clearly a lot of work to be done. Consultations need to be carried out, as well as more research into the best ways to implement some of these changes. 

On the surface, all the above points look like a brilliant step forward for animal welfare in this country. However, there are some limitations and potential downsides, especially for the farming sector. There are worries that many of the new regulations are idealistic and don’t reflect real-world practicalities and economics. 

Unless people are invested in paying more for higher-welfare food, there will always be a market for cheap meat, eggs and other produce. This could lead to the import of more and more products from countries with lower welfare standards. So, unless control is tightened up here too, the changes made to farming won’t have as big an impact on animal welfare as hoped for, and might actually make it worse, as higher-welfare UK farms go out of business and low-welfare imports replace them. Money plays a big part in animal welfare, and with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the general public may not be ready to pay yet more for their food. 

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) states, ‘We recognise the potential for increased divergence between our standards here in the UK and those of other countries. We will always consider whether overseas produce benefits from an unfair advantage because it is not required to meet the same animal welfare, environmental, or other domestic standards as UK producers.’ The government will continue to work with farmers, vets and organisations to achieve the best possible outcomes for all concerned. 

However, as a nation of animal lovers, the overall mood music is positive, and the listed areas for change will be well-received by many. As a vet, I am of course in support of any step forward in animal welfare, and it’s great that the government are entering a New Year proactively on this. I will continue to follow the story with interest, to see just how these measures will be implemented in the coming years.