, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary
for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: I am pleased to share
the significant progress made in promoting responsible dog
breeding and ownership in Wales this year. Following on from the
success of our first summit last year, I have recently attended
our second annual summit which took place on 24 October. It
served as a platform to highlight achievements, share knowledge,
and demonstrate the effectiveness of our collaborative approach.
It was an opportunity to hear from stakeholders about their
progress and the innovative solutions they are implementing.
This initiative has been a collaborative effort involving
multiple stakeholders, including local government, the police,
public health, third sector organisations and campaigners for dog
welfare and public safety. The development of this multi-agency
working group has been instrumental in driving forward our goals,
helping to share expertise and working together to ensure a
cohesive approach to responsible dog breeding and
ownership.
Key achievements include:
- The expansion of the LEAD initiative
within Gwent Police force area and its application across other
forces in Wales.
- The uptake of the responsible dog
ownership courses provided by Blue Cross across all four
police forces.
- The influential work conducted by Hope Rescue in the community
and the key support they are giving to mental health charities
and dog owners.
- Ongoing research and development to understand successful
practices and licensing models from other countries to enable
high standards of health and welfare of breeding animals to be
achieved. This research is crucial in ensuring that we adopt the
best possible approaches to responsible dog breeding and is
helping to inform our strategies here in Wales.
- The Welsh Government funded Animal Licensing Wales
project has introduced a new website and portal for local
authorities, breeders, and the public. This development goes hand
in hand with efforts to combat illegal breeding and the raising
of standards and conditions.
- The development of a Wales Dog Safety
Partnership. This initiative marks an exciting
new chapter in our efforts. We look forward to seeing the
positive impact it will have on our communities.
We extend our thanks to all involved for their dedication and
hard work. Together, we are making significant strides in
fostering responsible dog breeding and ownership across Wales.
