The APG on Animal Welfare is the first All Party Group in nearly five years to formally address prevalent animal welfare issues in Northern Ireland and aims to raise the profile of such concerns within the NI Assembly. The USPCA Animal Welfare Manifesto outlines key animal welfare issues in Northern Ireland and sets out where Northern Ireland lags behind GB and ROI in legislating to protect animals from suffering.

The Manifesto focuses on a range of issues including the selling of puppies online, greater regulation and minimum standards for animal businesses such as mobile exhibits and shelters, and the introduction of a register of banned offenders, to name a few.

Commenting on the manifesto launch, USPCA Chief Executive Brendan Mullan, said, “The USPCA Manifesto sets the scene of animal welfare in Northern Ireland and unfortunately demonstrates the shortfall in our current legislation. The Manifesto provides a roadmap of urgent issues which could help bring Northern Ireland in line with our neighbours and drive real change to protect vulnerable animals within our society.”