LONDON: Britain has banned third-party sales of puppies and kittens to protect the animals from exploitation.
The government says the new law will help crack down on “puppy farms” and make it harder for unscrupulous dealers who have little regard for animal welfare.
Animal Welfare Minister David Rutley said the ban “is part of our commitment to make sure the nation’s much-loved pets get the right start in life.”
The decision follows a public consultation that found overwhelming support for banning third-party sales.
Under the new measure, people wishing to adopt a puppy or kitten would have to deal directly with a breeder or a re-homing center, rather than pet shops or other commercial dealers.
Animal welfare groups praised the government measure as an important step forward. Marc Abraham, a veterinarian who appears on television and is the founder of Pup Aid, called it “a real victory for grassroots campaigners as well as the UK’s dogs and cats.”
He said the law would make breeders more accountable and make it more difficult to sell illegally smuggled puppies and kittens.
The change was also endorsed by one of Britain’s best-known animal shelters, the Battersea Cat and Dogs Home.
It comes as the RSPCA is asking the British public for information about the identity of a passenger and driver caught on closed circuit TV abandoning a dog despite its pleas to be allowed back into the car.
The abandonment took place earlier this month in Trentham, 145 miles (235 kilometers) northwest of London, but the video was circulating Monday online.
“To see the poor dog in such obvious distress, jumping up at the car as it drives away, is just heartbreaking,” said RSPCA inspector Natalie Perehovsky. “I can’t understand how someone could do this.”
UK bans pet shops from selling puppies and kittens
UK bans pet shops from selling puppies and kittens
- Under the new measure, people wishing to adopt a puppy or kitten would have to deal directly with a breeder or a re-homing center, rather than pet shops or other commercial dealers
WWII leader Churchill to be removed from UK banknotes
- The next series of banknotes due to be issued by the Bank of England will feature animals native to the UK
- The bank will gather views later this year about the specific wildlife the public would like to feature on the next set of banknotes
LONDON: World War II leader Winston Churchill is to be dropped from the UK £5 banknote in favor of a nature scene, sparking outrage from some lawmakers who said he should not be replaced by an otter or badger.
Novelist Jane Austen, artist J. M. W. Turner and mathematician and codebreaker Alan Turing, are also due to be phased out on the £10, £20 and £50 banknotes respectively as part of a redesign.
The next series of banknotes due to be issued by the Bank of England will feature animals native to the UK, in a shift away from images of prominent Britons.
Possibilities, subject to a public consultation, include badgers and otters as well as frogs, hedgehogs, barn owls and newts. Plants and landscapes will complete the scenes depicted.
“For more than 50 years, the bank has proudly showcased many inspirational historical figures who have helped shape national thought, innovation, leadership and values on its banknotes,” the bank said.
“The change to wildlife imagery ... provides an opportunity to celebrate another important aspect of the UK,” it added.
The bank will gather views later this year about the specific wildlife the public would like to feature on the next set of banknotes.
Bank of England chief cashier Victoria Cleland said the key driver for a new series of banknotes was how to stay ahead of counterfeiters.
“Nature is a great choice from a banknote authentication perspective and means we can showcase the UK’s rich and varied wildlife on the next series of banknotes,” she added.
- ‘Shaped this nation’ -
The new banknotes will not appear for several years.
They will continue to feature a portrait of the monarch King Charles III on the other side. Banknotes with the late Queen Elizabeth II also remain in circulation.
Previous banknotes have pictured other national figures including novelist Charles Dickens, physicist and chemist Michael Faraday, composer Edward Elgar, nurse Florence Nightingale and architect Christopher Wren.
The most recent series — rolled out between 2016 and 2021 — was printed for the first time on polymer rather than paper.
Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, was among lawmakers who criticized the new nature theme.
“Let’s celebrate our wonderful British wildlife, sure, but Winston Churchill helped save our country and the whole of Europe from fascism,” he wrote on X.
“He deserves better than being replaced by a badger,” he said.
Main opposition Conservative lawmaker Alex Burghart called the decision “outrageous.”
“He (Churchill) earned his place on our five pound note. He must not be replaced with an otter,” he said on X, adding the “great people who shaped this nation” should not be forgotten.
