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Building a better legal framework for animals

09/10/2026

We’re pleased to see our Executive Director Edie Bowles’ latest column featured in The Scotsman.

In her column, Edie explores how Scotland risks falling behind England on animal welfare and why continued progress is needed to strengthen protections for animals.

The column was featured in both The Scotsman online and in the newspaper, Scotland on Sunday.

Read the full article: https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/how-scotland-risks-falling-behind-england-on-animal-welfare-9180087

07/10/2026

What happens when we raise a potential animal welfare offence?
Following concerns about the sale of live lobsters at a shop in their area, we’ve asked Gwynedd Council to investigate whether animal welfare offences may be being committed.

But what happens next?

Follow our legal work and stay up to date with the latest animal law developments by signing up to The Animal Law Foundation’s newsletter.
📩 Sign up: https://animallawfoundation.org/stay-updated

05/10/2026

Last week, we brought together MSPs, legal professionals, animal welfare organisations and policymakers at the Scottish Parliament to mark 20 years of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

The Act introduced landmark protections for animals in Scotland. Two decades later, however, there remains a gap between the law as written and the protections animals experience in practice.

Twenty years on, this is an important opportunity to look at what has happened since the Act came into force, and what needs to happen next.

02/10/2026

On World Farm Animals Day, we’re asking: 20 years on, is the Animal Welfare Act working as intended?

The Animal Welfare Act 2006 was designed not only to prevent unnecessary suffering, but to ensure animals’ welfare needs are met.
Yet our new report finds a troubling gap between the protections set out in law and what animals experience in practice.
The law already has the potential to provide meaningful protection for animals. It needs to be properly interpreted, applied and enforced.

It’s time to put animals back into the Animal Welfare Act.

🔗 Read the full report: https://animallawfoundation.org/reports

30/09/2026

Yesterday, we hosted an event at the Scottish Parliament marking the 20th anniversary of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

A huge thank you to our host, Emma Roddick MSP, our speakers and everyone who joined us.

Twenty years after the Act came into force, the event provided an important opportunity to examine the gap between the protections the law was designed to deliver and how it is interpreted and applied in practice.

We heard from Mike Radford OBE, Cathy Dwyer from The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission and Kirsty Jenkins from OneKind and many other valuable contributions from our guests.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the discussion. We look forward to continuing this important work.

28/09/2026

A new insight from the Animal Law Foundation explores whether the Animal Welfare Act 2006 is working as it was intended, 20 years after its enactment.

The Act introduced a positive duty to ensure that animals’ welfare needs are met. Yet our analysis highlights the gap between the protections set out in law and what animals experience in practice, particularly in intensive farming systems.

The law has the potential to provide meaningful protection for animals. It needs to be properly interpreted, applied and enforced.

20 years on, it’s time to put animals back into the Animal Welfare Act.

🔗 Read the full insight: https://animallawfoundation.org/insights/after-20-years-it-is-time-to-put-animals-back-into-the-animal-welfare-act

24/09/2026

NEW REPORT 💡

Putting Animals Back into the Animal Welfare Act 2006

Twenty years after the Animal Welfare Act 2006 came into force, our new report examines the gap between the protections set out in law and what animals experience in practice.

The Act was intended to do more than respond to cruelty after it happens. It created legal obligations to prevent unnecessary suffering and meet animals’ welfare needs, but its full potential has yet to be realised.

Our report explores:
🐾 How practices causing predictable and avoidable harm can become accepted because they are longstanding, widespread or economically important.
⚖️ The gap between animal welfare law as written and how it is interpreted, applied and enforced in practice.
🐄 Significant problems with enforcement, in 2024, only 2.2% of farms were inspected, while non-compliance was found in 28.4% of those inspections.

The Animal Welfare Act already contains important protections. The challenge is ensuring they are given proper effect.

It’s time to put animals back into the Animal Welfare Act.
Swipe to learn more.

Read the full report: https://animallawfoundation.org/reports

23/09/2026

Legal protection on paper doesn’t always mean protection in practice.

At The Animal Law Foundation, we use the law to help secure stronger, meaningful protections for animals and ensure animal welfare legislation works as it should.

Find out more about our work: https://lnkd.in/eWzpy8Fs 🐾 ⚖️

22/09/2026

On 29 September, The Animal Law Foundation will be at the Scottish Parliament to mark 20 years of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

Kindly hosted by Emma Roddick MSP, the event will bring together MSPs, legal professionals, animal welfare organisations and policymakers to examine the gap between the protections set out in law and how they are interpreted and applied in practice.

Twenty years on, it’s time to put animals back into the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act.

📅 29 September 2026
📍 Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh

18/09/2026

Keep up with the latest from The Animal Law Foundation.

Sign up to our newsletter for updates on our work, legal action and developments in animal law.

Stay informed about how we’re working to secure better protections for animals.

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