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Posted: 25th March 2021

Vets call for urgent action on animal sentience
The BVA's position statement on animal sentience recognises the growing evidence base on animal emotions.
Letter calls on government to act on commitments pledged in 2017.

Leading vets, vet nurses and students have signed an open letter to the government, calling for urgent action to enshrine animal sentience in law.

The letter, printed in Wednesday’s (24 March) edition on the Daily Telegraph, sees officers and representatives from the BVA, together with 18 species and affiliate groups, call on the government to make firm their commitments to animal sentience, first pledged in December 2017.

It comes more than three years since then environment secretary Michael Gove stated the government was ‘acting energetically’ to strengthen precautions for animals after Brexit. Since then, however, progress has stalled. The government has stated that it will find an appropriate vehicle to enshrine it into legislation ‘when parliamentary business allows’.

The BVA has published a position statement on animal sentience, which recognises the growing evidence base around the capacity of animals across the species to have feelings, including pain and pleasure.

It recommends that the government should ensure that legislation on sentience is ‘meaningful and proportionate’. The BVA would also like a duty imposed on the state to consider the principle of animal sentience in future policy-making decisions.

BVA senior vice president, Daniella Dos Santos, said: “Michael Gove promised ‘energetic’ action on sentience back in 2017, following concerted campaigning by veterinary associations and animal welfare organisations and a huge outpouring of public feeling. After such a promising start, it’s so disappointing that this fundamental principle of animal welfare has still not got over the line and into law forty months on from this commitment.

“BVA’s position on sentience recognises how critical it is that the principle is carried through into UK law now that we have left the EU. Taking action would mean that the needs of animals across the species were considered in future policy-making, and set a strong reminder of the UK’s position as a global leader on animal welfare.”



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