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MPs attempt to revive animal welfare measures

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Animal-loving backbench MPs are trying to breathe new life into welfare legislation quietly dropped by the government last year.

Plans to ban trophy hunting imports, live animal exports and crack down on puppy smuggling were included in the 2019 Conservative election manifesto.

Three MPs are now attempting to get some of these policies into law.

Labour's John Spellar has launched a Private Members Bill (PMB) to ban hunting trophies.

Two Tory MPs - Selaine Saxby and Anna Firth - have launched separate PMBs to ban live animal exports and make pet abduction a criminal offence.

These two measures were originally included in the Kept Animals Bill, which was dropped by the government over fears it could be used to force a vote on hunting - a deeply divisive issue in the Conservative Party.

On Wednesday, Ms Saxby tabled a PMB to restrict the import of dogs, cats and ferrets to crack down on pet trade.

The RPSCA thanked Ms Saxby for "rescuing" the plans, which they say are crucial for ending puppy farming - where dogs often kept in terrible conditions which would be illegal in the UK, and used to breed multiple litters.

David Bowles, head of public affairs at the RSPCA, said: "Buying an imported puppy leaves new owners open to the very real risk that they are supporting cruel overseas puppy farming.

"We are delighted that Selaine Saxby's Bill will give the UK government another opportunity to support an end to this cruel trade."

Ms Firth introduced a PMB to specifically criminalise abducting cats, dogs, and other common pets.

PMBs rarely become law without the support of government, as they do not get the same amount of time dedicated to government businesses.

Campaigners inflated two giant balloon animals to protest the slow progress of the Hunting Trophies Bill
Campaigners inflated two giant animal figures to protest the slow progress of the Hunting Trophies Bill

The government has been under pressure to dedicate government time to fresh legislation to fulfil a manifesto commitment to ban the import of hunting trophies into Great Britain.

Every year, hunters from the UK travel abroad, often to southern Africa, and pay thousands of pounds to legally shoot animals, such as lions and elephants.

Under current rules, with the right paperwork, they can then bring trophies, such as stuffed heads or horns, back to the UK.

The measures had been expected in government legislation but ministers instead backed a PMB from Conservative MP Henry Smith during the last parliamentary session.

It passed the Commons comfortably, but ran out of time as its face opposition in the House of Lords.

Time for PMBs are allocated by a lottery - 20 MPs are randomly chosen for a chance to debate their bill on one of seven Fridays set aside for this purpose.

The top seven MPs get priority for these debating slots.

Julie Elliott, Labour MP for Sunderland Central, won the top spot in the ballot, giving her first priority. Her PMB seeks to level the banking sector's competitive field by modernising rules that currently restrict building societies' lending abilities.