Summary Description
- Sets a new framework for the proper consideration of animal sentience in policy and legislative-making.
- TopicThe topic of the legislation or policy covered by the text
- Recognition of sentienceTaxation
- SpeciesThe animal, or type of food production, covered by the text
- JurisdictionCountry or geographical area where the text applies
- United Kingdom
- Sub-jurisdictionCountry or state where the text applies
- N/A
- Type of ActWhether the act is a law, regulation, or policy, or another type of text
- Legislation
- StatusIndicates whether the act is in force or not
- Bill Proposal
- Legal ValueWhether the text is binding or not
- N/A
- Date enactedDate the text was adopted
- N/A
- Date updatedDate when the entry was last updated by the CALF team
- June, 2023
- Official citation
- Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022 (UK)
Strengths & Weaknesses
- Strengths
- Legally recognises that animals are living, feeling beings with complex thoughts and emotions, each able to experience pain, fear, love, and joy.
- Requires that the UK government consider the welfare needs of animals as sentient beings when making and implementing policies � which could help protect them from abuse or harm.
- Recognises all vertebrate animals and some invertebrates (decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs, i.e., crabs, lobsters, and octopuses) as �sentient beings.�
- Weaknesses
- Sentience is undefined.
- The new committee will not have enforcement or advisory powers, meaning it is only able to scrutinize and report on whether government policy is adequately considering the interests of animals - which activists and journalists already do.
- Amendment extending sentience to the small number of invertebrates will not change existing industry practices.