Calls have been made for a review of the enforcement of animal welfare legislation due to inconsistencies in monitoring and enforcement, discrepancies in actions taken by different agencies, and issues with welfare inspector training. The report highlighted that many potential welfare breaches are directed to animal welfare charities like the RSPCA rather than government agencies, raising concerns about the capacity to deliver this public service if charitable donations were to diminish.

The report also mentioned a rise in animal welfare offences linked to organized crime, with the RSPCA feeling ill-equipped to handle private prosecutions. The committee recommended a wholesale review of animal welfare enforcement to create a more effective, structured, fair, and integrated system. Suggestions included creating a central body for coordinating animal welfare law surveillance, setting minimum resource allocations, and establishing a centrally recognized mechanism for reporting welfare offences.

World Horse Welfare supports the recommendations for a review of animal welfare enforcement, emphasizing the importance of robust and consistent enforcement of equine health and welfare laws. They are working to implement key recommendations to improve the effectiveness of animal welfare enforcement, including setting up a panel of representatives from local authorities to ensure better consistency in approaches. The government has welcomed the committee’s report and will be considering all recommendations carefully.