As an animal lover, and the owner of two pets (Guinea Pigs), I am concerned about the numerous cases of animal cruelty and neglect which are continually occurring in the UK.

I feel that a major contributor to many of these cases is the issue of pet retailers and on line sellers selling pets to people with potentially very little or no knowledge as to how to care for them properly, or worse so, on occasion malicious intent for the animals once having ownership or responsibility for them. 

Thereby, to help address this issue, I would like to propose that a new legal obligation is introduced for potential pet retailers and purchasers, in that a standardised assessment of potential new owners of pets is carried out as part of the purchasing procedure, to help ensure that potential owners have the best intentions for their pets and that they have the knowledge and financial means to take care of them. 

This can be an amendment to the current Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Thank you 

Kirstin Vincent