Animal Protection Commission

Establishing a governmental animal protection body is the key to a paradigm shift towards genuine respect for animals.

Why we need a government animal protection body

Industries that harm animals, such as intensive farming and animal experimentation, have come to dominate the UK government to the exclusion of animal protection and public opinion. This set-up is perpetuated by a government structure that prioritises ‘competitiveness’ and deregulation, including the various agencies and departments that sponsor the commercial interests of animal harm industries. Conversely, there are no laws or institutions to promote animal welfare protection and ensure it is a meaningful consideration for government.

Our research shows that this situation of institutionalised government bias against animal welfare is the fundamental reason for weak animal welfare laws, feeble enforcement and, consequently, levels of animal harm that go way beyond public acceptability. This also explains why current animal advocacy campaigns aimed at government are generally unsuccessful.

Therefore, establishing a governmental animal protection body is the key to a paradigm shift towards genuine respect for animals.

Structure and Remit

The precise structure and remit of a governmental Animal Protection Commission (APC) should be developed through extensive consultation across the whole of society, including deliberative democratic methods.

However, one option would see the APC combine research, advisory, policy-formulation and enforcement roles. Because they have been comprehensively captured by animal harm interests, it may be desirable to replace the animal welfare-related policy processes in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Home Office and other existing agencies with a new, independent regulatory approach under the new APC.

Under this model, the Commission would be legally mandated to challenge harmful treatment of animals and protect and promote animal welfare. The APC would be the UK-wide body leading on animal welfare, working closely with animal welfare-related bodies in the devolved authorities of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as well as local government. Independence could be safeguarded through legal requirements that those with interests in activities involving potential/actual harm to animals do not form a majority on the Commission’s decision-making bodies.

A core principle governing the APC’s work would be the use of ‘deliberative democratic’ methods in order to achieve authentic public participation and improve the quality and legitimacy of policy decisions through more complete and thorough consideration of relevant evidence. Key APC powers and responsibilities should include:

• Initiating systematic surveillance of animal welfare in the UK to create benchmarks and allow future monitoring – or ‘animal welfare audits’ – of progress in protecting animal welfare.
• Developing a cross-government strategy, targets and plan for animal protection.
• Supporting and overseeing local government, police and NGO enforcement of animal protection laws, including the administration of a register of convicted animal abuse

Research and Advocacy

We have now teamed up with our friends at The Schweitzer Institute to develop an ‘APC Coalition’ of advocacy groups, academics, politicians and concerned citizens. We are currently collaborating on a project to produce a ground-breaking report explaining the essential need for an APC, and together we have organised two annual conferences to explore and promote the APC concept, with a third one scheduled for Friday 20th November 2026 in Cambridge.