2025
Parliamentary scrutiny
Parliamentary scrutiny and progression
14 May 2025 – Committee Stage (Commons) Detailed line‑by‑line scrutiny took place. The Government published an Impact Assessment on 13 May 2025 covering changes to non‑commercial pet travel rules.
4 July 2025 – Remaining Commons stages The Bill completed its final stages in the House of Commons.
7 July 2025 – Bill introduced to the House of Lords (HL Bill 117) Explanatory Notes and briefing papers were published.
24 July 2025 – Delegated Powers Memorandum published Set out the scope of regulation‑making powers within the Bill.
5 September 2025 – Second Reading (Lords) Peers debated the Bill’s purpose and necessity.
21 October 2025 – Order of Commitment discharged The Bill proceeded without a committee stage in the Lords.
21 November 2025 – Third Reading (Lords) Final scrutiny completed.
Introduction of the successful Bill
16 October 2024 – Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill introduced Dr Danny Chambers MP (Liberal Democrat) introduced the Bill as a Private Member’s Ballot Bill. It had Government support from the outset.
29 November 2024 – Second Reading (House of Commons) MPs debated the Bill’s principles, including raising minimum import ages, banning imports of mutilated animals, and restricting imports of heavily pregnant animals.
2021–2022
Initial Proposals
Initial government proposals
2021–22 – Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill introduced The Government first proposed restrictions on the non‑commercial movement of dogs, cats and ferrets within the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. These provisions included limits on numbers, minimum import ages, and restrictions on importing heavily pregnant or mutilated animals.
2022–23 – Bill carried over The Kept Animals Bill was carried into the next parliamentary session but did not progress.
