This past Wednesday, the UK announced an immense victory for animal welfare advocates and the creatures they support. Animals will be formally recognized as sentient beings under UK law for the first time in history.
These legislative reforms, some of which have been many years in the making, include banning live animal exports and forbidding trophy hunting imports, as well as introducing a series of bills that protect farm animals and pets, ban ivory and shark fin trade, and perhaps even a ban on foie gras imports.
James West, senior policy manager at Compassion in World Farming likens this historical moment to waiting for buses in London: “You wait a lifetime for animal welfare legislation to appear and then three bills come along at once.”
Animal rights activists that have campaigned for years against the exploitation of animals can celebrate as they finally see their dedication pay off.
