8. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the implementation of the Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales) Regulations 2014?
Thank you. The regulations introduce stricter criteria for licensed breeders and have helped enforced our commitment to ensuring high welfare standards. We work with local authorities to monitor implementation of the regulations, and last year completed a data capture exercise on the enforcement of the staff-to-job ratio element.
Thank you. Concerns are raised with me very frequently about the extent to which brazen and discriminatory puppy breeding is still ongoing in Wales. The regulations provide a means for responsible breeders to be registered, and for prosecutions to be undertaken against those who do not comply and risk the welfare of the animals in their care. In the recent prosecution of a lady from the Vale of Glamorgan, she claimed to be selling a particular breed but was, in fact, acting as a front for puppy farming. Of course, social media is a very useful vehicle for this industry to flourish. In this instance, she was selling more than 100 puppies, having advertised 266. The general health and animal welfare problems experienced by these dogs and puppies is absolute cruelty, yet only 38 prosecutions took place across Wales in 2015-16 under the Animal Welfare Act. Cabinet Secretary, what steps can you take to highlight this issue? More importantly, will you somehow look to ban this cruel and ruthless money-making at the expense of these vulnerable animals?
Thank you. This is an area where I'm working very closely with the RSPCA to ensure that the number of prosecutions is as high as possible when these cases are found. I am looking to bring forward a statement on animal welfare before the summer recess, so I will be able to say more on that issue then.