Richard Holden, Member of Parliament for North West Durham, has today launched a campaign to improve animal welfare in the United Kingdom.
Richard has been alarmed by the growing number of dog thefts in the UK and recent reports of dog thefts and attempted dog thefts in North West Durham. Dog thefts in the UK increased by 250% in 2020 due to lockdown and Richard has been contacted by a number of constituents who are concerned about walking their dogs amid reports of attempted thefts in the area. Richard has also been contacted by constituents concerned about horses being tethered and left during lockdown, fireworks causing distress to household pets and protection of the natural habitats of animals across the UK.
The launch of Richard’s campaign coincides with a survey being launched on his website about animal welfare and Richard will be speaking at the earliest opportunity and submitting a request for Westminster Hall debate on animal welfare and horse tethering once the public health restrictions have eased.
Commenting, Richard Holden, Member of Parliament for North West Durham, said:
“We are a nation of animal lovers and I know that animal welfare is something my constituents feel incredibly strongly about, whether it’s people concerned about animals being neglected and mistreated or people wanting to see changes in the law to ensure the environment is protected for wild animals.
“I am launching this campaign because I want to see animals being awarded the protection they deserve. People should not be worried about taking their dogs for a walk or concerned about parties involving fireworks causing immense distress for their pets. I am extremely concerned about reports of horses being tethered indefinitely and want to assure all my constituents I take these issues very seriously.
“I would encourage all of my constituents to complete the survey on my website and look forward to taking this campaign forward when Parliament returns and some of the restrictions are lifted.”
To hear more about the work that Richard is doing for North West Durham, you can sign up here or input your details in the form on this page.