If you have been following our regular updates, you will know that we were eagerly awaiting the imminent and promised enactment of the Animals Abroad Bill in the UK Parliament. This Bill has been under discussion for around two years and was expected to include a ban on the import of lion trophies.
Despite promises made by the UK Prime Minister in two Queens Speeches, this Bill has now been postponed with no new date for it to come back to Parliament.
This is an immense disappointment – in those two years, lions have continued to be slaughtered and their heads brought back into the UK, along with trophies from many other species. Lions DO NOT have the time for further delays.
We welcome, therefore, a Private Members’ Bill which has been brought by a Labour MP which proposes making importing threatened or vulnerable species an offence with culprits facing up to seven years in jail.
This proposed legislation s supported by celebrities and by many cross-party MPs and will hopefully be put before Parliament in early December.
It is however unlikely that this proposed Bill will be backed by the UK Government but a comprehensive media campaign will be launched in support of this Bill, to hopefully encourage the UK Government to urgently put forward a new date for this much needed legislation.
LionAid, along with other conservation and animal welfare charities, celebrities, cross-party MPs and the media will join the launch of this posters campaign outside the UK Parliament in early December.
Our work continues apace as you can see, but we can only do this with your continued support. A huge thank you to everyone who has donated to us in the past.