Success: UK Law to Recognize that Animals Feel Pain

Target: Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Goal: Support the promise to ensure that animal sentience is specifically recognized by UK law.

The welfare of UK animals was severely threatened when lawmakers voted to disregard animal sentience in new legislation. However, following severe backlash — including petitions like this one at ForceChange and extensive social media campaigning — the environment secretary has promised to make “any necessary changes” to UK law to acknowledge that animals are sentient beings and capable of feeling pain. This is critical to ensuring that the rights and well-being of animals are protected when the UK withdraws from the European Union.

The Tory government voted to reject an amendment to the EU Withdrawal Bill, put forward by Green MP Caroline Lucas, which would have protected animal welfare by recognizing that they have emotions and feelings. Such protections exist in EU law, but those laws will no longer apply in the UK when it separates from the EU. Environment Secretary Michael Gove responded to the widespread outrage by stating, “The prime minister has made clear that we will strengthen our animal welfare rules. This government will ensure that any necessary changes required to UK law are made in a rigorous and comprehensive way to ensure animal sentience is recognised after we leave the EU.” Sign below to support this commitment to defending the rights of animals and demand that this promise be honored.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Prime Minister May,

It is critical that UK law recognize animal sentience in order to protect animal welfare, and your pledge to commit to this is incredibly important. It is unacceptable for those protections to be left behind when the UK withdraws from the EU.

According to a written statement by the environment secretary, the government will ensure that legislation explicitly acknowledging that animals possess emotions and feelings will be prioritized and put in place, and that “any necessary changes required to UK law are made in a rigorous and comprehensive way.” I support this promise and urge you to ensure that it is kept.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Gillian Thomas


5 Comments

  1. Not sure why this idiotic decision was made in the first instance. How disconnected can some jerks be??? The parliamentarians who thought animals could not not feel pain should be made to suffer two fold! Revolting idiots!

  2. THESE PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL THE PAIN NOW.

  3. Daniel Patteet says:

    Of course animals feel pain..How stupid can people be when they say animals don’t feel pain..I see it every day..over and over again..and it’s realy heartbreaking when i get confronted with people who hurt innocent and harmless animals..But,last year i became a vegan and a warrior for their rights!

  4. Eileen Goodman says:

    Only an inhumane, sub human, half brained cretin, could think animals feel no pain.

  5. Gen Lovyet Agustsson says:

    thank you lady theresa for doing this cause humans and animals feel the same pain. the rest of the world should do the same thing.

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