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Our lobbying activity
To ensure the veterinary voice is heard around the UK, we provide briefings and information to parliamentarians and ministers in Westminster, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
We work closely with our honorary associate member MPs, Peers, MSPs, MSs and MLAs. We also work with the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) to lobby the European Commission and Parliament.
To read our latest updates for each country, select the relevant section below.
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UK / Westminster
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
UK / Westminster
Supporting Reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act
趣夜app London Dinner 2026
Influencing the EU-UK veterinary agreement
Lobbying for Animal Welfare legislation
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Animal Welfare Strategy:听In December 2025, UK Government announced its which 趣夜app largely welcomed. The Strategy outlines new plans鈥痶o鈥痯rotect pets, farmed animals and wildlife across the听country听and includes听several听measures that 趣夜app has been听actively听campaigning for on behalf of our members.鈥疶hese include听an end to听puppy farming;听promotion of听responsible dog ownership鈥痶o protect public safety;听a potential ban of the use of electric shock collars;听banning snare traps鈥痺hich听cause suffering to animals;听and听phasing out confinement systems听for farmed animals such as听pig farrowing crates. Animal Welfare is amongst the top priorities for 趣夜app听members,听and the organisation has secured many听significant听improvements to animal welfare听as a result of听sustained听policymaking听and听campaigning.听In April 2025, nine years since the publication of its landmark Animal Welfare Strategy,听趣夜app听published a听new report outlining its听achievements听since 2016, alongside a new set of priorities - 鈥樔ひ筧pp Animal Welfare Strategy - Evaluation and Next Steps鈥�.鈥�
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Ongoing consultations: We are responding to ongoing consultations on the potential proposed ban on keeping , and changes to
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Animal Welfare (Import of听Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Act: We hailed the passage of the 听into law in December last year听as a huge win for animal听welfare,听as well as听public health. Introduced听as a听Private听Members鈥櫶鼴ill 听by vet and MP Danny Chambers听with support from 趣夜app, this legislation听will听introduce crucial measures to clamp down on puppy smuggling听and听ban the import of听dogs and cats听with illegal mutilations like cropped ears听or declawing.听It will also听better听protect听public health by reducing听the risk of diseases such as鈥痳abies and Brucella听canis听from being imported into the country,听by听increasing听the minimum age that puppies can enter the听UK听and preventing听heavily pregnant听dogs听from听being brought in.
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Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act: We supported the passage of this Bill as it attained Royal Ascent in. The Act will better protect the welfare of farmed animals. It includes vital updates to the existing legislation such as clarity on what constitutes 鈥榳orrying鈥�, and the expansion of police powers and sanctions against irresponsible dog owners.
Scotland
Our manifesto for Scotland鈥檚 vets and animals 2026-2031
Ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections we have created our manifesto for Scotland鈥檚 vets and animals where we highlight our main asks for Scotland鈥檚 political parties across 5 key categories, which are:
- Animal welfare
- Education
- Employment
- Fireworks
- Agriculture
We encourage you to read our manifesto, share it with your networks, and engage your local MSP on it.
Positive steps on firework controls
The introduction of across Edinburgh last November was a positive step towards safeguarding the health and welfare of both people and animals. We welcome the announcement that more local authorities will be taking forward zones ahead of Bonfire Night this year. We encourage you to check with your local authority about these zones and call for their effective implementation. 趣夜app will continue lobbying Scottish Government tighter controls on the use of fireworks to better protect the health and welfare of humans and animals.
Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Act
The , which seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of dogs by encouraging responsible ownership and providing for the registration of unlicensed litters, became law in March. 趣夜app are working with Scottish Government on drafting the Code of Practice.
Scottish Branch meeting with Members of Scottish Parliament
Between January and June of this year we met with 10 MSPs across all political parties, speaking on our manifesto and where we can work together to support vets and animals in Scotland.
Championing vets in Scottish Parliament at 趣夜app鈥檚 Annual Scottish Dinner
趣夜app brought together MSPs, including the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity Jim Fairlie MSP, policymakers, and key figures in education, farming, and the veterinary profession for our prestigious Scottish Dinner at Holyrood on 30 April 2025. Conversations focused on the crucial role that vets have within Scotland, particularly in the rural sector, and how the veterinary profession can be better supported to deliver for Scotland鈥檚 animals and people. Dinner speeches also highlighted the much-needed reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 and 趣夜app鈥檚 ongoing work to support the profession with the Competition and Markets Authority investigation into UK veterinary services for household pets. It was a popular and well received event with guest feedback highlighting the value of the dinner for bringing opportunities to come together and champion the veterinary profession across Scotland.
趣夜app Scottish Branch
趣夜app Scottish Branch exists to represent members in Scotland. It brings together representatives of our specialist and territorial divisions, Government, academic institutions, and research organisations in Scotland.
Wales
Our manifesto for Wales鈥� animals, vets, and public health 2026-2031
Ahead of the 2026 Senedd elections we have created our听manifesto for Wales鈥� animals, vets, and public health,听where we highlight our main asks for Wales鈥� political parties. Our calls to action cover:
- The Sustainable Farming Scheme
- BTB and disease control
- Responsible use of veterinary medicines 听
- Animal licensing activities
- Veterinary workforce
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We encourage you to听read our manifesto, share it with your networks, and engage your local MS on it.
Building relationships and calling for change at 趣夜app鈥檚 Welsh dinner
趣夜app welcomed the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, as guest of honour for the annual Welsh dinner at Cardiff Castle on 24 June 2025. The event was also attended by around 90 guests, including several Members of the Senedd, senior representatives from animal health and welfare organisations, and veterinary professionals, providing many useful opportunities to build relationships and discuss key topics affecting animals and veterinary professionals.
Newly elected Welsh Branch President Phoebe McCarter used her maiden speech to highlight recent wins for animal welfare in Wales, and the importance of improving biosecurity measures in the face of exotic disease. 趣夜app President Elizabeth Mullineaux spoke about the importance of a modern regulatory framework to enable Welsh vets to continue being at 鈥�the forefront of delivering high-quality animal health and welfare services across a diverse landscape, from urban practices in Cardiff and Swansea to large-animal and mixed practices serving rural communities in regions like Powys, Ceredigion, and Carmarthenshire.鈥�
Phoebe and her fellow 趣夜app Welsh Branch officers also spent the day meeting key stakeholders, including the farming unions, CVO, and Deputy First Minister, to call for a greater focus on animal health and welfare in the sustainable farming scheme, and to discuss measures to improve management of endemic and exotic disease.
Welsh Branch meeting with Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs
趣夜app and Welsh Branch officers met the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies in June 2024 to discuss the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS), endemic disease and funding for animal welfare initiatives. The Cabinet Secretary, who is proud to be a 趣夜app Honorary Associate, is keen to work with 趣夜app on many key issues, and was pleased that Welsh Branch President Gwen Rees was representing 趣夜app on his . He recognised that the veterinary profession had a key role to play in supporting farmers through the transition.
Championing animal health and welfare in sustainable farming
After the Agriculture Act (Wales) came into force in 2023, 趣夜app Welsh Branch has continued to work with Welsh Government and other stakeholders to shape the Sustainable Farming Scheme so that it supports animal health and welfare, and is accessible to all farmers. Welsh Branch President Gwen Rees represents 趣夜app on the roundtable set up by the new Cabinet Secretary, which is seeking to address the concerns of the farming community about the scheme. We have also spoken to the CVO, the Cabinet Secretary, the Shadow Rural Affairs Spokesman and the Farming Unions to raise our concerns with the scheme as currently proposed. We would like to see animal health and welfare centred in the scheme as an integral part of sustainable agriculture. We would also like to see more flexibility in the universal actions, to ensure that as many farmers as possible are able to participate.
趣夜app Welsh Branch
趣夜app Welsh Branch exists to represent members in Wales. It brings together representatives of our specialist and territorial divisions,听Government, academic institutions, and research organisations in Wales.
Northern Ireland
Our manifesto for Northern Ireland 2022-27
Ahead of the Northern Ireland Assembly elections on 5 May 2022, we launched听a manifesto听calling on all parties to sign up to key pledges to enhance animal health and welfare, support the veterinary profession, and protect public health in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland dinner
On 22 October 2025, 趣夜app welcomed Minister Andrew Muir, Northern Ireland Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, MLAs and stakeholders to the annual Northern Ireland Dinner in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings, Belfast. Hosted by MLA Michelle McIlveen, the event provided vets, political leaders, industry experts and opinion formers an excellent opportunity to network and engage on the key issues affecting Northern Ireland concerning the veterinary profession, animal health and welfare, and food safety. In his address, 趣夜app President Rob Williams called on the veterinary profession to unite behind reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act and reaffirmed 趣夜app鈥檚 commitment to continue lobbying the UK Government to secure the supply of veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland. Find out more.
Access to Veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland
There will be changes to the supply of veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland from 1 January 2026, following Brexit and in the absence of a veterinary agreement with the EU. We鈥檝e been urging the Government to find a permanent solution to make sure this doesn鈥檛 negatively impact animal health and welfare, public health or cross-border trade.
In February 2025, we published our policy position on access to veterinary medicines in NI and convened a parliamentary briefing for MPs and Peers, sponsored by Robin Swann MP, to raise awareness and press for action. In June, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and Defra published guidance on the , which will allow the expedited use of suitable alternative products once the grace period ends. However, there remains a lack of clarity surrounding the scheme and we have concerns whether it will be able to respond effectively during periods of increased demand, such as disease outbreaks.
We have continued to engage closely with policymakers, parliamentarians and regional stakeholders, including:
路 Writing jointly with industry partners to Baroness Hayman, Minister for Biosecurity, Borders and Animals
路 Supporting Parliamentary Questions tabled by Northern Ireland MPs
路 Giving
路 Briefing a in December
Following sustained engagement by 趣夜app and others, the Government has announced a new VMD-led to identify and mitigate risks to veterinary medicine supply from January 2026. We intend to engage actively through the forum and continue working with collaboratively with the Government on this issue.
趣夜app Northern Ireland Branch
If you are a 趣夜app member living in Northern Ireland, you will automatically be a member of 趣夜app Northern Ireland Branch.
趣夜app manifesto for animals, vets, and public health
We've launched our manifesto calling on government to sign up to key pledges to enhance animal health and welfare, support the veterinary profession, and protect public health.
Engaging with your MP听You can help us advance our policy priorities by contacting or meeting your local MP to let them know why these issues are important to you. We've developed a you with the process. |