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Animal Welfare Bill

That was a useful debate. I am relieved that the noble Lord, Lord Soulsby, has pulled a rabbit out of the hat—or perhaps in this case ““pulled a dog out of the hat”” would be a better expression—and told us about the research the Companion Animal Welfare Council will undertake. I welcome that. I thought the debate also showed us how wonderfully we have evolved, because we no longer as often hear, ““A woman, a dog and a walnut tree””. I think the second line is, ““the more you beat them the better they be””. Fortunately, we have moved to a position where we think the first is unacceptable. I still have concerns, which I am sure the research will address. For example, security firms might take up the suggestion of the noble Lord, Lord Pearson, that it is much easier and quicker to train a dog using a shock collar. That might be done for reasons of cheapness if they needed to train a number of dogs. Whether, in welfare terms, it would be in the interests of the dog is still questionable. [The Sitting was suspended for a Division in the House from 6.45 until 6.55 pm.]