Pet insurance - Tips & Advice - Keeping your pet safe
 Being cruel to an animal is a criminal offence, but laws set out by DEFRA mean pet owners must also ensure that the welfare needs of your animal are met. Here’s a brief rundown of how the law affects you and your pet…
From 6 April 2007 (and 27 March in Wales), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) brought in laws to improve the welfare of animals in the UK. These laws apply to a variety of animals, including livestock and working animals, but importantly, also affect how you must treat your pets.
As a cat or dog owner, your main welfare responsibilities with regard to your pet are as follows:
- You provide them with a suitable place to live
- You give them a suitable and nutritious diet
- You make sure they exhibit normal behaviour patterns
- You ensure they are housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable)
- You protect them from pain, injury, suffering and disease
The law also states that you must be a minimum of 16 years of age to own a pet. This means, for example, that pets cannot be given as prizes to unaccompanied children. There are also laws on dangerous animals, including dogs.
This is a major and welcome change to the law and since the new ruling, if you are cruel to an animal or do not provide for its welfare needs you could be banned from owning animals again, fined up to £20,000 or even sent to prison.
You can find out more about the animal welfare law and get tips and advice on your pet’s welfare at http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/default.htm or by calling the DEFRA Helpline by telephone on 08459 33 55 77 or by email at helpline@defra.gsi.gov.uk
At Direct Line we also want to ensure our pet insurance customers look after their pets’ welfare. Check out our ‘summary of pet cover’ online and you’ll see how we can help look after the health and wellbeing of your cat or dog. You’ll also find a range of helpful ‘tips and advice’ guides on everything from nutrition to pet vaccinations to taking a pet abroad.
So find out how Direct Line can help you meet the welfare needs of your cat or dog – apply for a pet insurance quote today.
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