| Welcome to APGAW

Welcome to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare, your link to Parliament on animal welfare issues.

What is APGAW

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare (APGAW) was created to develop policy on any issue relating to animals with the aim of obtaining legislation to improve welfare standards. The Group holds regular roundtable meetings in Parliament providing an opportunity for those with a common interest in animal welfare to meet and debate their views as well as running focused inquiries into topical issues with subsequent reports to Government.

APGAW has around 120 Members of Parliament supporting the Group and has a strong reputation in Parliament for delivering sound, evidenced based work. It is co-chaired by a very well renowned veterinary professor, Lord Trees, and Giles Watling MP alongside officers who are cross-party politicians including members who sit on the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Select Committee and ex DEFRA ministers as well as Members who have been very high profile in their support for animal welfare.

APGAW is soon to the recipient of the Animal Sentience Committee reports to Parliament enabling the group to use its expertise and cross-party engagement to consider the impact of wider policy decisions across Government on animal welfare.

APGAW is directed by Marisa Heath who has over 18-years experience in policy formation, report writing and organising meetings. She has written Government guidance, led inquiries and chaired high profile roundtables. She also runs the Canine & Feline Sector Group and the Local Government Animal Welfare Group.

Key Work

The key issues which the Group is working on are as follows:

• The need for effective enforcement of animal welfare legislation– 
• Humane slaughter, higher welfare standards for farmed animals, meat labelling and non-stun slaughter.
• Animal Welfare Education both on food production and pet welfare.
• Dog breeding welfare and tackling extreme conformation
• Reducing the use of animals in science, with a focus on ending second species testing and severe suffering.

APGAW has published a number of reports including The Dog Strategy, Pedigree Dog Health, the Greyhound report, Tackling Livestock Worrying, the Equine Crisis and Provision of Small Abattoirs.

APGAW aims to be transparent in how it operates. The group publishes financial records annually and you can have a look at this here. The Group is funded by a number of organisations including the RSPCA, PfMA and Advisory Board Members. The director works for the political officers of the group and takes direction from them on the areas in which the Group will focus and the positions it establishes.

Please do get in contact if you have any questions about the group.