Information about the Act
How does the Act affect me?
Information for Local Authorities
Secondary Legislation and Codes of Practice to be made under the Act
Improvement Notice Template

When did the Animal Welfare Act come into effect?

From 6 April 2007 (and in Wales from 27 March 2007), animal welfare law was improved.

Not only is it against the law to be cruel to an animal, you must also ensure that all the welfare needs of your animals are met.

What does the Animal Welfare Act do?

It makes owners and keepers responsible for ensuring that the welfare needs of their animals are met.

These include the need:

1. For a suitable environment (place to live)
2. For a suitable diet
3. To exhibit normal behaviour patterns
4. To be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable)
5. To be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease

The law also increases to 16 the minimum age at which a person can buy an animal and prohibits giving animals as prizes to unaccompanied children under this age.

Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare needs, may be banned from owning animals, fined up to £20,000 and/or sent to prison.

More details of how the Act affects people are available here.

Defra has produced the following leaflet about the Act which can be downloaded here:

Secondary legislation

The Act enables the government and Parliament to make secondary legislation on specific issues. More information on secondary legislation is available here; and some extra information on some of these issues in particular can be found here:

Mutilations and Tail Docking
Guidance on the legal status of wing and web tagging
Racing Greyhounds
Pet Fairs and Pet Sales
Primates as Pets
Wild Animals in Circuses
Game Birds

Improvement Notice Template

This template is intended for use by official enforcers of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (ie Animal Health and local authorities)

• Improvement Notice Template (35 KB)
• Guidance for Inspectors on the issue of improvement notices (25 KB)

Further information

For further information please contact the Defra Helpline by telephone on 08459 33 55 77 or by email at helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk

Animal Welfare Act 2006 (PDF DOWNLOAD)