Good news! The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill is ready to be made law!

Just before Christmas we told you that decapod crustaceans had officially been included in the Sentience Bill. This long-awaited Bill gives legal recognition that animals are capable of experiencing emotions, pain and suffering and that their welfare will be considered in policy making decisions. The inclusion of decapods in this Bill was a huge victory!

The Bill had been making its way through Parliament since early 2021, having to pass multiple stages in both the House of Lords and the House of Commons (learn more here). But today, it passed the final stage in Parliament! The only thing left is for the Queen to give her approval (‘Royal Assent’), then the Sentience Bill becomes the Sentience Act!

This means that crabs, lobsters, prawns and other decapods have their first piece of legal protection in UK history! The significance of them being recognised as emotional, feeling beings (i.e. sentient) in law cannot be overstated.

Together, we have made animal welfare history.

We are delighted that our campaign to get decapods included in this momentous Bill has been a success! But our work doesn’t stop there… We will continue to campaign to get decapods included in ALL animal welfare legislation.