Securing less burdensome arrangements for non-commercial pet travel to the EU, including for assistance dogs, remains a UK Government priority. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, which will mean taking pets on holiday into the EU will be easier and cheaper. Instead of getting an Animal Health Certificate each time they travel, assistance dog owners will be able to get a multiuse pet passport valid for travel to the EU.

We have committed, with the EU, to conclude negotiations before the next UK-EU Summit. Whilst these negotiations are ongoing, we are unable to provide detailed updates on the talks or delivery timelines.

Securing less burdensome arrangements for non-commercial pet travel to the EU, including for assistance dogs, remains a UK Government priority. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, which will mean taking pets on holiday into the EU will be easier and cheaper. Instead of getting an Animal Health Certificate each time they travel, assistance dog owners will be able to get a multiuse pet passport valid for travel to the EU.

We have committed, with the EU, to conclude negotiations before the next UK-EU Summit. Whilst these negotiations are ongoing, we are unable to provide detailed updates on the talks or delivery timelines.

Securing less burdensome arrangements for non-commercial pet travel to the EU, including for assistance dogs, remains a UK Government priority. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, which will mean taking pets on holiday into the EU will be easier and cheaper. Instead of getting an Animal Health Certificate each time they travel, assistance dog owners will be able to get a multiuse pet passport valid for travel to the EU.

We have committed, with the EU, to conclude negotiations before the next UK-EU Summit. Whilst these negotiations are ongoing, we are unable to provide detailed updates on the talks or delivery timelines.

Securing less burdensome arrangements for non-commercial pet travel to the EU, including for assistance dogs, remains a UK Government priority. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, which will mean taking pets on holiday into the EU will be easier and cheaper. Instead of getting an Animal Health Certificate each time they travel, assistance dog owners will be able to get a multiuse pet passport valid for travel to the EU.

We have committed, with the EU, to conclude negotiations before the next UK-EU Summit. Whilst these negotiations are ongoing, we are unable to provide detailed updates on the talks or delivery timelines.

Securing less burdensome arrangements for non-commercial pet travel to the EU, including for assistance dogs, remains a UK Government priority. As announced at the UK-EU Leaders' Summit on 19 May 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Area, which will mean taking pets on holiday into the EU will be easier and cheaper. Instead of getting an Animal Health Certificate each time they travel, assistance dog owners will be able to get a multiuse pet passport valid for travel to the EU.

We have committed, with the EU, to conclude negotiations before the next UK-EU Summit. Whilst these negotiations are ongoing, we are unable to provide detailed updates on the talks or delivery timelines.

On 10 July 2026, the Animals in Science Regulation Unit carried out an announced visit to MBR Acres to inspect compliance with the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) following the recent period of high temperatures in Great Britain. No immediate animal welfare concerns were identified by inspectors on the day of the visit.

Under ASPA, licensed establishments are responsible for ensuring the welfare of animals in their care at all times, including during extreme temperatures. All such establishments must comply with ASPA, the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals Bred, Supplied or Used for Scientific Purposes, and relevant licence conditions. This includes requirements for daily checks of animal welfare and environmental conditions, and for breaches or potential breaches of licence conditions to be reported to the Secretary of State.

The Home Office regulates the use of animals in science under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). Under ASPA, all project licence applications must comply with the principles of Replacement, Reduction and Refinement (the 3Rs), which set out that animals may only be used when no validated non-animal alternative exists, the number of animals is minimised, and any potential harms are minimised.

In the last twelve months, the Home Office has not refused any licences involving canines on the grounds that a scientifically satisfactory non-animal alternative method or testing strategy was available.

The number of formal refusals is not, however, a meaningful indicator of either application of non-animal alternatives or regulatory rigour. All applications go through multiple review stages before reaching the Home Office Regulator, and guidance is available to assist applicants in preparing submissions that meet all legal requirements. Only applications that fully meet the requirements of the legislation may be considered for licensing authorisation.

All establishments licensed to use animals must have an Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB), which reviews proposals before they are submitted to the Regulator. Therefore, establishments’ internal review processes are intended to identify where suitable alternatives are available before applications are progressed to the Home Office.

Applications received by the Home Office are subject to detailed scrutiny, including requests for clarification or amendment where required. Applicants may revise or withdraw an application in response to feedback.

Although scientific procedures involving dogs increased by 9% in 2025, the number remains low by historical standards, with only 2024 reporting a lower figure. Overall, the use of dogs in science has declined over the past decade.

Dogs are used only where necessary and justified under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). This is most commonly in regulatory safety testing to assess the safety and efficacy of medicines and other products, where no suitable non-animal alternative is available. The number of procedures requiring dogs may increase or decrease from year to year largely due to changes in regulatory testing requirements, scientific and public health priorities and the availability of suitable non-animal alternatives.

The Government’s Replacing animals in science strategy, published in November 2025 and backed by £75 million, contains measures to accelerate the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods. These measures, together with continuing regulatory scrutiny and independent advice from the Animals in Science Committee, will support further replacement, reduction and refinement of animal procedures.

The Replacing Animals in Science strategy includes a commitment to reduce the use of dogs in pharmacokinetic and cardiovascular safety studies by 35% by 2030, where scientifically justified and supported by validated alternatives. The Government is working with regulators, industry and other partners to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods needed to achieve this ambition. A publicly available dashboard of progress against the strategy’s key deliverables and key performance indicators is being developed, and the Government will publish a delivery update, alongside key performance indicators on progress across all elements of the strategy, later in 2026.

Police support animals play an important role in crime detection, prevention, and public safety. The government values the bravery and skill of police dogs and their handlers, recognising the strong bond formed through their work.

Police forces are responsible for the welfare of their service animals throughout their service and into retirement. Their retirement can be a combination of local arrangements, such as charitable organisations and volunteers, the exact nature being a local decision for the force, led by Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners.

The government currently has no plans to change the retirement process for police service animals, including the funding of veterinary care.

Police support animals play an important role in crime detection, prevention, and public safety. The government values the bravery and skill of police dogs and their handlers, recognising the strong bond formed through their work.

Police forces are responsible for the welfare of their service animals throughout their service and into retirement. Their retirement can be a combination of local arrangements, such as charitable organisations and volunteers, the exact nature being a local decision for the force, led by Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners.

The government currently has no plans to change the retirement process for police service animals, including the funding of veterinary care.

Pharmaceutical legislation requires that, before a medicine can be approved for testing in humans, it is tested in a rodent and non-rodent species under international guidelines. This may include dogs as an appropriate model. The number of Beagles bred is largely determined by the forecast needs of the pharmaceutical industry that require testing of medicines. The number of scientific procedures using animals, including dogs, is published annually at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/animals-in-science-regulation-unit#statistics.

The Home Office regulator assures compliance of all work licensed with the rigorous requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act. For every research proposal, Home Office inspectors assure that animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible, the number of animals are reduced to the minimum necessary to achieve the result sought, and that, for those animals which must be used, procedures are refined as much as possible to minimise their suffering.

This Government has made a commitment to the long-term goal of phasing out animal testing in science and research in all but exceptional circumstances. In November 2025, the Government published Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation, and uptake of alternative methods, backed by £75 million in funding. This includes plans to establish a UK Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods and a preclinical translational models hub, alongside specific commitments to reduce the number of dogs used in scientific procedures.

Animal welfare groups such as the RSPCA and Dogs Trust provide helpful advice on how to look after dogs in hot weather, often promoted online and through media outlets. Advice includes keeping dogs in the shade where possible, keeping dogs hydrated, testing the temperature of pavements with one’s hand before walks and encouraging safe, supervised play with water, such as in paddling pools.

In extreme cases, where an owner is endangering the health or welfare of their dog, local authorities have powers to investigate allegations of animal cruelty or poor welfare.

The Government is committed to reducing the use of animals in science, including dogs, through our Replacing Animals in Science strategy, which supports the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods. The UK’s legal framework already requires animals to be used only where no validated alternatives exist. We are taking targeted action to reduce the use of dogs, including in pharmacokinetic and cardiovascular safety studies, by accelerating the development and regulatory acceptance of validated alternatives. Progress will be reported through the strategy’s delivery update and performance framework, to be published later in 2026.

ASRU maintains regular engagement with MBR Acres as part of its ongoing oversight of establishments licenced under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). This includes updates on operational matters and environmental conditions, including temperature monitoring, to ensure that appropriate standards of animal welfare are maintained.

Daily checks by competent personnel are mandated under licence conditions to monitor animal welfare and environmental conditions, with prompt action required to address any issues. Establishment are also required to report any breaches or potential breaches of licence conditions to the Secretary of State.

ASRU has released a number of inspection reports for MBR Acres, which found no evidence of non-compliance with the requirements of ASPA, associated licence conditions, or the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals Bred, Supplied or Used in scientific Procedures.

This Government is committed to ending puppy farming and the low welfare breeding of dogs. As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, this Government has committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform. Next steps will be announced in due course.

An approach to measure progress in reaching the target to reduce such use by at least 35% by 2030 is being developed with DSIT colleagues and will be included in a strategy delivery update published later in 2026.

The Home Office does not presently aggregate data on the number of dogs and non-human primates used specifically in dedicated pharmacokinetic studies for human medicines conducted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Information on estimated numbers of animals to be used over the lifetime of the licence relevant to such studies may be held within individual project licence records for regulatory purposes.

From 1 November, it will be an offence to leave a child under the age of 12 in close proximity with a banned breed dog, in a home or garden without adult supervision. This measure is intended to strengthen safeguards for children, where evidence indicates they are at greater risk of serious injury from dog attacks, particularly in domestic settings.

Defra will work with partners, including policing and animal welfare organisations, to support clear and consistent communication that any dog can pose a risk in certain situations and that young children should always be supervised around all type of dogs. This Government does not currently have plans to extend the new age measure requirement to all breeds of dog.

Current pet travel arrangements preserve the UK’s high standards of biosecurity and animal welfare.

Operational arrangements at airports in Great Britain mean that most pets must travel in the hold to ensure that the necessary import checks are carried out. The only animals that are authorised to travel in the cabin of a commercial aircraft into Great Britain are Recognised Assistance Dogs.

Where animals are transported in the hold, there are rigorous requirements in place to make sure that their welfare needs are met during transport. Carriers must make sure that air quality and quantity, temperature and pressure is maintained whilst the animals are onboard. The length of journey determines how much food and water must also be provided. Stringent requirements are also in place for pet transport containers under the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Live Animals Regulations (LAR), with space and ventilation concerns paramount.

Defra recognises the importance of public safety and responsible dog ownership. The provision of insurance is a commercial decision for insurers and there is currently very limited coverage available for certain types of dogs.

No alternative third-party public liability insurance product is currently available for banned breed dogs following the withdrawal of the only provider. This is a commercial decision for insurance providers, who determine which products they make available.

Ministers and officials have engaged with Dogs Trust, the Devolved Governments and the insurance sector to discuss options for maintaining access to third‑party public liability insurance for owners of banned dogs. Defra officials continue to work with these partners to explore potential options and will provide further updates in due course.

Defra recognises the importance of public safety and responsible dog ownership. The provision of insurance is a commercial decision for insurers and there is currently very limited coverage available for certain types of dogs. This Government does not currently have plans to make insurance mandatory for all owners as not all owners have access to suitable policies.

The Home Office does not hold information centrally on the number of animals supplied by particular establishments that are used in specific studies, including those supporting international research projects or regulatory submissions to overseas regulators. The Department has therefore not made a specific assessment of beagles supplied for these purposes.

All regulated procedures carried out in the United Kingdom are subject to the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), regardless of whether the resulting data is submitted to UK or overseas regulators. ASPA provides a strict framework of licencing and compliance controls. This requires licenced establishments to maintain accurate records, including the source of animals used in regulated procedures. Records may be examined by the Home Office Regulator as part of its inspection and audit activity.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics on the use of animals in science which contain information on the number of procedures conducted but not disaggregated by establishment. Annual statistics can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/scientific-procedures-on-living-animals-great-britain-2024.

The Government considers that the existing framework provides robust oversight and does not plan to introduce additional regulations in this area.

All pets travelling into Great Britain are checked for compliance with the necessary health and documentary requirements prior to entry to safeguard our biosecurity. When travelling to Great Britain by air, pets currently travel as manifest cargo to facilitate these checks upon arrival. The only animals that are authorised to travel in the cabin of a commercial aircraft into Great Britain are Recognised Assistance Dogs.

This Government has no current plans to change the process by which pet cats, dogs and ferrets may enter Great Britain in aircraft.

The Home Office does not hold information centrally on the number of animals supplied by particular establishments that are used in specific studies, including those supporting international research projects or regulatory submissions to overseas regulators. The Department has therefore not made a specific assessment of beagles supplied for these purposes.

All regulated procedures carried out in the United Kingdom are subject to the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA), regardless of whether the resulting data is submitted to UK or overseas regulators. ASPA provides a strict framework of licencing and compliance controls. This requires licenced establishments to maintain accurate records, including the source of animals used in regulated procedures. Records may be examined by the Home Office Regulator as part of its inspection and audit activity.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics on the use of animals in science which contain information on the number of procedures conducted but not disaggregated by establishment. Annual statistics can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/scientific-procedures-on-living-animals-great-britain-2024.

The Government considers that the existing framework provides robust oversight and does not plan to introduce additional regulations in this area.

The Home Office does not publish a separate aggregated category for the number of dogs and non-human primates used specifically in dedicated pharmacokinetic studies for human medicines for publication purposes conducted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. While information relevant to such studies may be held within individual project licence records for regulatory purposes, there is no distinct reporting category for them in the published in the annual statistics.

The target to reduce the use of dogs and non-human primates in dedicated pharmacokinetic studies for human medicines by at least 35% by 2030 forms part of the Government broader programme Replacing animals in science: A strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods. This number was agreed following discussions between regulators, research funders and officials on what was considered to be challenging while also likely being scientifically achievable.

The Home Office does not hold centrally collated figures on expected number of procedures to be carried out under service project licences involving dogs or non-human primates in each of the last five years.

Project licences authorise programmes of work according to the scientific need set out in the application, rather than against a single centrally recorded expected procedures total. Information on the expected number and types of animals to be used is set out in published non-technical summaries for each of the licensed programmes of work – published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/non-technical-summaries-of-projects-granted-under-aspa.

Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs can remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026.

Defra has published guidance on our GOV.uk page and contacted all registered owners to inform them that no action is required at this stage. Defra will update registered owners and share further guidance which will be published on GOV.uk in early June.

Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs can remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026.

Defra has published guidance on our GOV.uk page and contacted all registered owners to inform them that no action is required at this stage. Defra will update registered owners and share further guidance which will be published on GOV.uk in early June.

The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) provides robust protections for animals, including dogs, bred for use in scientific procedures. Establishments licensed under ASPA must comply with the Act and the Code of Practice for the Housing and Care of Animals Bred, Supplied or Used for Scientific Purposes (www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-for-the-housing-and-care-of-animals-bred-supplied-or-used-for-scientific-purposes) which sets standards for the accommodation, care, monitoring and veterinary oversight of the animals.

Licensed establishments are also required to have key named individuals in place, including veterinary surgeons and animal welfare officers, who are responsible for the health, care and welfare of animals and for advising on their use before and during regulated procedures. Establishments must operate local ethical review processes to provide ongoing oversight of animal welfare, review care and housing arrangements, and ensure that licence conditions are met.

Compliance is assured through a programme of announced and unannounced audits from the Regulator (the Animals in Science Regulation Unit – ASRU). Any instances of non-compliance are taken seriously and addressed in accordance with ASRU’s published compliance policy, which provides for a range of regulatory responses, including enforcement action where appropriate.

In 2025, ASRU implemented organisational reforms to strengthen delivery of its regulatory functions including increasing the size of its inspectorate, further enhancing oversight of animal protections across licensed establishments.

The Government has no current plans to conduct a separate review of licensing conditions for commercial breeders, as these are already set and enforced within this robust regulatory framework.

The numbers of service project licences are based on information provided during the application process, with figures drawn from the Home Office’s Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) e‑licensing system. The total number of service project licences granted in each of the last five years are as follows:

2022 – 21 service licenses
2023 – 27 service licenses
2024 – 18 service licenses
2025 – 25 service licenses
2026 – 7 service licenses (to date)

The number of service project licences involving dogs in each of the last five years are as follows:

2022 – 3 service licenses
2023 – 3 service licenses
2024 – 3 service licenses
2025 – 7 service licenses
2026 - 0 service licences (to date)

The number of service project licences involving non-human primates in each of the last five years are as follows:

2022 – 1 service license
2023 – 2 service licenses
2024 – 0 service license
2025 – 3 service licenses
2026 – 0 service licenses (to date)

The Labour Manifesto commits to working with scientists, industry and civil society to phase out animal testing. The Replacing Animals in Science strategy was published in November 2025 to deliver a cross‑government programme to develop, validate and adopt alternative methods to reduce the use of protected species across the life sciences. This includes targeted action to reduce the use of dogs in pharmacokinetic and cardiovascular safety studies through validated alternatives. The Government will publish a delivery update, alongside key performance indicators on progress across all elements of the strategy, later in 2026.

As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government has committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform to improve the health and welfare of breeding dogs and their puppies. This will include proposals to improve the health and welfare standards which all licensed breeders must meet. The consultation is expected to consider a range of welfare issues, including those associated with brachycephalic dogs and extreme conformations. The Government will continue to engage with stakeholders as this develops.

Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs can remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026. The department is working closely with Dogs Trust, the Devolved Governments and the insurance sector to find a workable solution for dog owners.

Defra has published guidance on GOV.UK and contacted all registered owners to inform them that no action is required at this stage. Further guidance will be made available on GOV.UK in June.

Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs can remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026. The department is working closely with Dogs Trust, the Devolved Governments and the insurance sector to find a workable solution for dog owners.

Defra has published guidance on GOV.UK and contacted all registered owners to inform them that no action is required at this stage. Further guidance will be made available on GOV.UK in June.

Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs can remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026. The department is working closely with Dogs Trust, the Devolved Governments and the insurance sector to find a workable solution for dog owners.

Defra has published guidance on GOV.UK and contacted all registered owners to inform them that no action is required at this stage. Further guidance will be made available on GOV.UK in June.

Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs can remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026. The department is working closely with Dogs Trust, the Devolved Governments and the insurance sector to find a workable solution for dog owners.

Defra has published guidance on GOV.UK and contacted all registered owners to inform them that no action is required at this stage. Further guidance will be made available on GOV.UK in June.

Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs can remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026. The department is working closely with Dogs Trust, the Devolved Governments and the insurance sector to find a workable solution for dog owners.

Defra has published guidance on GOV.UK and contacted all registered owners to inform them that no action is required at this stage. Further guidance will be made available on GOV.UK in June.

Licensed establishments are responsible for maintaining records on the source, use and final disposal of protected animals bred, kept or used for regulated procedures.

Under Standard Condition 8 of the Establishment Licence, all licensed establishments those records must be kept in a format acceptable to the Secretary of State. Compliance is checked through announced and unannounced audits by the Home Office Regulator. MBR Acres was most recently audited in November 2025, when inspectors reviewed the establishment’s records, including those relating to the source, use and disposal of animals. The Home Office does not hold this data centrally.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics on the use of animals in scientific procedures. The annual statistics can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/scientific-procedures-on-living-animals-great-britain-2024/annual-statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals-great-britain-2024

The Home Office publishes non-technical summaries for each project licence granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. These are published quarterly and include information on the species and the approved number of animals expected to be used over the lifetime of the project licence. These are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/non-technical-summaries-of-projects-granted-under-aspa.

The Home Office also publishes annual statistics on the use of animals in science as Accredited Official Statistics. These contain information on the number of procedures conducted, including breakdowns by species of animals (including beagles) and by purpose. The statistics report both the total number of procedures conducted and the number of animals used for the first time in a given year. The statistics are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals.

This Government remains firmly committed to working towards the phasing out of animals in science. The strategy, ‘Replacing animals in science’, sets specific targets to reduce the use of dogs by 2030, while ensuring the UK continues to support safe and effective scientific and medical research.

The Home Office does not hold data on the number of animals bred by individual establishments. Responsibility for recording such information rests with the licensed establishments themselves.

Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, licensed establishments are required to maintain records, in a format acceptable to the Secretary of State, of the source, use and final disposal of all protected animals bred, kept or used at the establishment for regulated activity.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics on the use of animals in scientific procedures, which include information on procedures involving dogs. In addition, project licence applications under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 are required to include prospective estimates of the number of animals expected to be used. This information is included in the published non-technical summaries of project licences granted available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/non-technical-summaries-of-projects-granted-under-aspa.

The Home Office does not centrally record the number of applications withdrawn, nor amendments to project licence applications by reference to specific issues raised during or after assessment, including the availability of non‑animal alternative methods. The Regulator advises that withdrawn applications are very rare, while amendments to applications form a routine part of the assessment process.

All applications are subject to multiple stages of review prior to submission to the Home Office, including the delivery of legal responsibilities of the applicant to the principles of replacement, scrutiny by an establishment’s Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body and sign off by the establishment licence holder. This means that proposals where non-animal alternatives are available will not be progressed for application.

Applications may be amended and it is common for there to be at least one iteration of the original application before it can be granted. This would be based on discussions between the Regulator and the applicant and could be about any aspect of the licence. It is also common for amendments to be made to licences after they are granted.

In 2024, 472 licences were granted and 905 amendments made (post grant). Data for 2025 will be published in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit’s annual report.

The Home Office has not made an estimate of the number of proposed projects involving dogs that do not proceed to licence application stage following review by Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Bodies (AWERBs) due to the availability of non-animal alternative methods.

Project licence applicants are, in law, responsible for robustly considering the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs) when developing proposals before submission to the establishment AWERB. AWERBs operate within establishments and are a further internal check on advising the establishment licence holder and other duty holders on the application of the principles of the 3Rs before any project licence application is submitted to the Home Office.

Dog breeders licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations are prohibited from breeding dogs if it can be reasonably expected that on the basis of their genotype, phenotype or health, this would lead to welfare problems for the mother or the puppies.

In the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government committed to launch a consultation on dog breeding reform to improve health and welfare, and also to improve understanding of the size, scale and current management practices related to cat breeding, and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the cat breeding sector.

The strategy was developed following engagement with key stakeholders and consideration of sector evidence, such as the Animal Welfare Committee’s reports on canine and feline breeding practices.

Defra works with a range of sector organisations who are raising public awareness of the health risks associated with brachycephalic animals. This includes via tools such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare’s Innate Health Assessment, Royal Kennel Club’s Respiratory Function Grading scheme assessment for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome and the Canine and Feline Sector Group Code of Practice for Dog Breeding. Many organisations have public facing campaigns to promote awareness such as Cats Protection, and the UK Brachycephalic Working Groups ‘stop and think’ campaign to prioritise health when purchasing dogs.

All project licence applications, including service licences which use specially protected species such as dogs and non-human primates, are subject to a rigorous harm-benefit analysis (HBA), required under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The HBA ensures that a project is only granted where a Home Office Inspector is satisfied that the likely harms to animals, including pain, suffering, distress and any lasting harm, are justified by the expected benefits for humans, animals or the environment.

Under ASPA, projects proposing the use of specially protected species may only be authorised where no animal of lower sentience can be used to achieve the scientific objectives. In all cases, the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement (the 3Rs) must be fully applied. This means that animal use is permitted only where no validated alternative exists, the minimum number of animals is used, and the most refined methods are used to minimise harm.

The Home Office publishes annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals in Great Britain, which break down procedures by species, type of procedure, and actual severity experienced by animals. They are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-of-scientific-procedures-on-living-animals. Information on the severity of procedures involving NHPs and dogs is set out in Table 3.1, with severity categorised under ASPA as non-recovery, mild, moderate or severe.

Additionally, the Home Office expects to respond to recommendations from the Animals in Science Committee on the use of NHPs in service licences, which is aimed at further strengthening protections for NHPs used in science for service licences.

Defra is working to ensure owners of banned breed dogs can remain compliant with the legal requirement to hold third-party public liability insurance beyond 1 July 2026.

Defra has published guidance on the GOV.UK page and contacted all registered owners to inform them that no action is required at this stage. Defra will share further guidance which will be published on GOV.UK in early June.

His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) currently deploys 492 licensed search dogs across prisons in England and Wales. These dogs form a key part of the Department’s approach to tackling the supply of illicit items, including drugs, mobile telephones and other contraband, and are used proactively across the estate.

Decisions on deployment, and any increase in search dog capacity, are made at local and regional level, enabling prisons to respond flexibly to their specific security risks and operational challenges. This includes the ability to scale up provision where intelligence or demand indicates a need.

HMPPS keeps this capability under regular review as part of its wider security strategy and will continue to assess whether additional resources are required to meet any emerging threats.