Battersea brings Labour and the animal welfare sector together
At Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, MPs joined animal welfare groups as a first step to co-deliver the government’s priorities for animals
With the government due to outline its ambitions for animals by publishing the new Animal Welfare Strategy soon, Battersea took the opportunity at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool to gather Members of Parliament with leading minds from Britain’s animal welfare sector. Labour MPs representing England, Scotland, and Wales, along with representatives from eleven diverse animal welfare groups, shared their priorities, frustrations, and ambitions for the nation’s pets, wildlife, and farm animals.
The Animal Welfare Strategy, which the government has suggested will be published before the end of the year, is expected to outline a plan of action to identify challenges and opportunities that support animals and the people who care for them. In other areas of the government’s work, we’ve seen co-delivery, practical co-operation between the government and relevant sector experts, used to improve outcomes. Animal charities and campaign groups are keen to leverage their experience to help steer the government’s agenda and deliver for animals.
Driving conversation
One theme that emerged was just how passionate the nation is about animals. An attending MP detailed the huge volume of casework and campaign emails they receive about animal welfare. They suggested policy makers “treat animals as a secondary priority at their own peril”, as an MP seen to be either particularly effective or ineffective on supporting animals will see their public support impacted.
One challenge for all sides is the huge variety of voices representing animal welfare. While major campaign groups have animal wellbeing at the core of their agenda, supporters can feel overwhelmed by the wide-ranging issues that need to be achieved – from calls to improve regulation for pets, tackling animal cruelty or tightening import and export rules to prevent abuse, to raising welfare standards in animal husbandry, and better protection for wildlife and biodiversity – it can be difficult for decision makers to select priorities when so much remains to be done.
Ruth Jones MP, leading advocate of animal welfare, joined Battersea at Labour Party Conference 2025.
In return, there was a sense of respect for the government’s ambition for animals, but also frustration that there has not been more progress over the last year. The previous Labour government passed the 2006 Animal Welfare Act, a significant piece of legislation that continues to set standards for animals nearly 20 years on. Under the recent Conservative governments, there were also big steps forward for animal welfare, such as the 2021 Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act and the 2024 Pet Abduction Act. There is time for this government to surpass all of these and drive real progress, much of which would be inexpensive and widely popular.
Next steps
The tone of discussion was constructive and optimistic, with a real sense that the upcoming Animal Welfare Strategy provides us all with a valuable opportunity to focus government, media and public attention on the nation’s animals. Animal welfare sector guests left with boosted confidence and a greater clarity of what MPs need to put animals at the heart of their campaigning. While Battersea’s mission is to be here for every dog and cat, there is still so much more to be done for all animals. We will continue to support the government’s work for animals and push them to go further.
Battersea’s event took place at the Labour Party Conference on 28th September 2025 in Liverpool. We are very grateful to Terry Jermy MP, Johanna Baxter MP and Ruth Jones MP for joining us, as well as attendees from Battersea, BIAZA, Cats Protection, Compassion in World Farming, Four Paws UK, The Humane League UK, Naturewatch Foundation, RSPCA, Scottish SPCA, The Vegetarian Society, and Woodgreen.
