Proposed Animal Welfare Law Set for Panel Review

Proposed reforms to Jersey’s animal welfare legislation will be examined by the States’ Environment Scrutiny Panel, government officials have confirmed.

The panel is due to assess a series of draft amendments designed to modernise existing laws and introduce new powers around licensing, enforcement and standards of animal care.

The review follows a States vote on 26 November to bring in tighter restrictions and controls on dogs deemed to be dangerous.

As part of its work, the scrutiny panel will look at how responsibility for controlling pets and livestock in public places is currently managed, with the aim of identifying any gaps, duplication or unclear divisions of responsibility between agencies.

Panel chairwoman Deputy Hilary Jeune said the proposed changes were intended to move Jersey away from a reactive approach to enforcement and towards a more preventative system.

“We want to be confident that the legislation will deliver those objectives, while also considering the broader picture of animal welfare and control across the Island,” she said.

Deputy Jeune added that the reforms would have wide-reaching implications, affecting animal owners, professionals who work with animals and members of the public who encounter them.

She said the aim was to create “a clear, modern and flexible framework that works effectively for everyone and can respond to emerging concerns.”