Castle Point MP Dame Rebecca Harris has expressed her outrage that her Pets (Microchips) Bill, designed to bring in ‘Tuk’s Law’ and stop healthy pets being euthanised, was blocked in Parliament by the Labour Government earlier today.
The Pets (Microchips) Bill proposes that no healthy or treatable pet can be euthanised by a vet without having its microchip scanned for a rescue backup or without the permission of its registered owner first. The Bill would build on the work of the previous Conservative Government which legislated for mandatory microchipping for dogs since 2016 and for cats since June last year.
The Bill was due to have its Second Reading debate in the House of Commons this afternoon, but was objected to by the Labour Government preventing the debate from taking place and stopping the legislation progressing to its next stage.
Dame Rebecca said: “I am appalled that the Labour Government have blocked my Bill. It is obvious that no pet should be put down without checking with the rightful owner first and if there are other options for it to lead a healthy life in a different home. There have also been clear incidents of threats to euthanise dogs that have been used as tools of coercion in domestic abuse cases which is utterly despicable.
This Bill would have given peace of mind to every dog and cat owner that their beloved pets will never be put down without their consent. I will continue to campaign on this issue and to make sure this change rightfully becomes law.”
Shadow Secretary of State, Victoria Atkins MP, said:
“Today, the Labour Government has blocked a Bill that would have stopped domestic abuse perpetrators from putting down pets as part of their abuse. There are heartbreaking cases in which abusive partners have a much-loved pet put down in order to control and coerce their victim. I hope that Labour u-turns on this Bill for the sake of victims and survivors and their pets.”
Castle Point resident Dawn Ashley and campaigner Sue Williams, were in the public gallery of the House of Commons and watched in dismay as the Labour Government blocked the progress of the Bill. They have both been campaigning along with many other pet owners around the UK for the Bill, otherwise known as ‘Tuk’s Law’, to pass. ’Tuk’s Law’ is named after a five-week-old Mioritic shepherd mistakenly identified as a stray and euthanised by a vet who failed to scan his original chip.
Commenting, Dawn and Sue said: “We came to Parliament today to witness what we hoped would be the start of the process to change the law, after Rebecca has been such a long-term supporter of our campaign. We were so disappointed that the Bill was objected to, allowing these cruel incidents to continue. However, we are not giving up and will carry on campaigning until the law is changed.”
