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Above: Picture shows Lorraine Barrett with a kitten from the Cats Protection Group in Cardiff

Local Funding to help companion animal welfare
posted on 16/04/2008

£900,000 to ensure high standards of companion animal welfare

Local authorities in Wales next year (2008/09) will share £700,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government to ensure high standards of animal welfare among companion animals. A further £200,000 will be available to the local authorities for special projects.

The £700,000 will be allocated according to population, and is specifically targeted for the regulation of welfare among companion animals in line with the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Local authorities will be required to assess compliance levels at non-agricultural premises, such as livery yards and animal sanctuaries, and report back to the Welsh Assembly Government on a regular basis.

Local authorities will also be asked to set up local or regional animal welfare forums to work closely with animal welfare organisations, and adopt a Memorandum of Understanding with the Animal Welfare Network for Wales.

In addition, local authorities will need to agree and deliver education and awareness plans to promote an increased understanding of the welfare responsibilities of pet owners and keepers of animals.

Announcing the grants, Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones said: “The Welsh Assembly Government takes the welfare of animals very seriously. It is important that local authorities have the resources to regulate the welfare of companion animals.

“£700,000 will be shared among local authorities so that they may, amongst other activities, carry out an audit of animal welfare standards in their county. A further £200,000 will be available via grants for special projects, such as improving welfare in animal sanctuaries and livery yards.”

Notes

Allocations, based on human population and to reflect the density of companion animals are as follows:

County                    £

Isle of Anglesey - £20,000
Blaenau Gwent - £20,000
Bridgend - £29,881
Caerphilly - £39,079
Cardiff - £70,534
Carmarthenshire - £41,464
Ceredigion - £20,000
Conwy - £26,988
Denbighshire - £22,436
Flintshire - £33,475
Gwynedd - £31,734
Merthyr Tydfil - £20,000
Monmouthshire - £20,742
Neath Port Talbot - £31,482
Newport - £32,293
Pembrokeshire - £29,682
Powys - £32,120
Rhondda Cynon Taff - £53,802
Swansea - £52,606
The Vale of Glamorgan - £26,428
Torfaen - £20,257
Wrexham - £27,924
Wales - £702,926