(S4O-00074) Animals (Abandonment)

Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab): 3. To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to prevent the abandonment of animals in Scotland. (S4O-00074)

The Minister for Environment and Climate Change (Stewart Stevenson): The Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 contains a specific offence of abandonment. A person who is responsible for an animal and who abandons it in circumstances that are likely to cause unnecessary suffering, or who leaves it unattended without making adequate provision for its welfare, is subject to a penalty of up to six months’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5,000.

Neil Bibby: In these tough financial times, bills are getting harder to pay, and vets’ bills can be a shock to families’ monthly budgets. The minister might well recall the successful campaign with the slogan, “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas.” Will he reassure me that he will work with animal charities and others to raise awareness of abandonment throughout the rest of the year?

Stewart Stevenson: I very much support the campaign for dogs for life—and cats and a wide range of domesticated and pet animals. It is important that we make adequate provision for those that we take into our homes. We take over responsibility for such animals, as we do for everyone in our houses.