Pet Laws Around the World

Proposed animal welfare laws in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) could see dog parents being legally bound to spend three hours a day minimum with their pet. The legislation would also restrict the practice of surgical debarking and include guidelines including a recommendation against the use of retractable dog leads.

Although the successful enforcement of the proposed law has been questioned, this draft Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs in the ACT reflects an increasing understanding by the territory that animals are sentient beings. ACT had already taken the lead on reshaping its approach to animals when it became the first jurisdiction in Australia to recognise the sentience of animals, accepting that animals had the ability to feel, perceive and experience sensations such pain and pleasure, fear, joy and loneliness. The 2019 law changed the legal status of animals from being purely ‘property’ to sentient beings in their own right.

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ACT’s move is part of a larger global trend to recognise animal sentience, with the UK Animal Sentience Act coming into force on 25 May 2023, after the passing of the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill in April 2022 post-Brexit. Denmark, France, Greece, New Zealand, and the US states of Oregon and Washington DC have also explicitly recognised animal sentience in law.

ACT’s new regulations

ACT’s proposed new Code of Practice outlines compulsory standards all pet parents and those in charge of a dog must meet, alongside guidelines how to reach those benchmarks of care. The draft covers working dogs, including farm dogs, security/guard dogs and assistance dogs, alongside pets. It encourages everyone to strive for the highest standards of dog welfare and makes it clear that the public have a duty to care for the physical and mental welfare of animals.

The proposed changes will ensure that the code is consistent with current legislation including the Animal Welfare Act 1992 and Domestic Animals Act 2000, and sets new standards for tethering working dogs, a requirement to microchip and desex dogs, a ban on dog fighting, free roaming and collars that cause pain or discomfort, strict leash laws, the obligation to seek appropriate vet care, restrictions on breeding, laws covering leaving dogs in hot vehicles and how they travel, 24-hour access to drinking water, appropriate exercise and suitable space and clean and dry bedding. Those failing to meet the standards of the new Code of Practice could face prosecution and the removal of the animal. 

The new provisions have had a mixed response, mostly concerning the practicality and enforceability of the proposals. Critics have said that the mandatory measures, such as the three-hour daily human contact rule, are ambiguous, and difficult to enforce, asking how pet parents would prove they are complying with minimum contract regulations and if neighbours would be expected to report suspects. 

Animal Care Australia (ACA), an organisation that represents the interests of animal keepers and breeders, suggested that some of the Code is based on ‘animal rights ideological and/or personal bias-based opinion and not scientific or evidence-based fact’. It said that the use of and lack of definition of ‘aversive collar’ and statements relating to dog training and socialisation were ambiguous. It also criticised the mandatory three hours of human contact for all dogs. The ACA has published a full response here. 

A woman’s lifestyle channel, Honey, in Australia polled over 500 people on the idea of governments mandating time spent with dogs and the length of time proposed by the draft. Fifty-five percent of those surveyed said they’re not in favour of governments dictating how long owners spend with their dogs, 18 percent said ‘it depends’, while 13 percent supported the idea of governments setting minimum standards for time spent with dogs. Other commentators thought the plans would be difficult to enforce; another questioned the government’s priorities dealing with this matter while homelessness and the cost-of-living crisis went unresolved.

Europe leads the way in animal welfare

On the other side of the world, Europe has established itself as a leader in animal welfare legislation, mainly due to the European Union (EU)’s commitment to the ‘Five Freedoms’: freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury and disease; freedom to express normal behaviour; and freedom from fear and distress. The belief that animals are sentient beings is also enshrined in EU law, through the 2009 Lisbon Treaty. 

In Switzerland, the Swiss Animal Welfare Act protects the welfare and dignity of animals, and those that flout the rules can face a ban on keeping, breeding and handling animals commercially, or trading in animals. The law outlines rules for keeping and breeding pets, as well as the training requirements for their humans. Social animal species, like guinea pigs, must not be kept individually. Those running animal shelters and pet breeding facilities must undergo training and obtain a licence once they reach a certain size.

The German Animal Welfare Act (Tierschutzgesetz or TierSchG) is the primary federal law for animal welfare. Those that break the law face fines and criminal sanctions. Dog parents in Germany must register their dog with the local authorities, have an id chip and pay the ‘Hundesteuer’, an annual local tax. All German states require you to have a dog license if you own a breed considered by the authorities to be ‘dangerous’, these four breeds are Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the Bull Terrier. Each German state also has a list of additional dangerous dogs, such as the Rottweiler.

Scandi sentience 

The Nordic countries also have comprehensive laws that recognise dogs as sentient beings. Sweden’s Animal Welfare Act 2018 bans the docking of a dog’s tail and cruelty to animals, both intentionally and through gross carelessness, is an offence. Sweden’s Board of Agriculture recommends that dogs not be left alone for more than four to six hours at a time to meet canine social and physical needs. While not following the guideline is not a criminal offense, repeated or prolonged absences could be considered neglect and an offender can be prosecuted. 

In Norway, the Animal Welfare Act holds breeders accountable for practices that compromise a dog’s health and ability to behave naturally. In October 2023, the country’s Supreme Court upheld a breeding ban on the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel because of concerns over inbreeding and poor health. But the blanket ban on English Bulldog breeding was overturned in the appeals court, although its breeding is now only permitted under a supervision. 

In July 2025, Denmark introduced new dog welfare laws banning the breeding of dogs with inherited diseases and health problems. The ‘Animal Welfare Minimum Requirements for Keeping Dogs’ mean that before breeding certain dogs, appropriate health screening must be undertaken. Breeds including Bulldogs, Dachshunds and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are affected by the law.

Both Sweden and Denmark are graded as B when it comes to animal welfare on the Animal Protection Index, as is the UK.

How does the UK compare?

The UK prides itself on being a nation of animal lovers and can lay claim to some strong legislation and a progressive history, with Cruelty to Animals Acts evoked as early as the 19th century. More recently the UK's Animal Sentience Act 2022 recognised animals as beings capable of feeling.

However, in May 2025, the Centre for Animals & Social Justice said that the UK Government has never carried out any systematic, comprehensive audit of animal welfare standards in the UK, or compare findings with other countries. The comment was in response to an MP’s claim that UK farmers produce the best food in the world to the highest animal welfare standards. Is the UK law surrounding the welfare of pets a global gold standard?

Lucy’s Law came into effect in England in April 2020. It bans the sale of puppies and kittens under six months old by third-party sellers and pet shops in the UK. The aim of the law is to raise breeding standards and clamp down on low-welfare and high-volume puppy farmers and the abuse of the EU Pet Travel Scheme. May 2024 also saw the introduction of the Pet Abduction Bill, which recognised cats and dogs as more than just property, and made taking a dog or cat without consent a specific criminal offence punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine.

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The public have responded positively to the stricter pet laws, a Public Consultation showed over 95 percent supported the ban on third-party sellers that Lucy’s Law outlawed. Evidence from the Pet Theft Taskforce said that around 2,000 dog theft and over 400 cat theft crimes were reported to police in 2020, causing distress for pet parents and their pets, and that pet theft was a major concern to the public.

Family barrister Christine Warner has direct experience of how UK dog welfare law is progressing. She founded the Ruby’s Law campaign, which aims to put measures in place to protect pets in domestic abuse situations. “I’m optimistic about the UK’s approach to dog welfare because there is growing recognition that dogs are sentient beings, not just property,” she says. “Recent legislation, like Lucy’s Law and strengthened protections against pet theft, puts us ahead of many countries, though there’s still more to do to ensure enforcement and consistency across the board. With continued focus, the UK could become a world leader in dog welfare law.”

Christine agrees that the UK is making real strides in dog welfare, with strong legislation but says there is work to done in areas like companion animal guardianship and anti-cruelty enforcement.

“Ruby’s Law has highlighted how much more work is needed to protect pets as part of the family unit. While UK law is moving in the right direction, there’s still a gap in ensuring pets are considered in domestic abuse and family law contexts. Addressing this would set the UK apart internationally,” she says.

“Real leadership will come when the recognition that pets are sentient beings results in their welfare being a legal priority, not an afterthought.”

The global trend for stricter pet laws

Many countries across the world now recognise animal sentience and base corresponding pet welfare laws on that. Pet ownership is on the rise globally too, with estimates putting the figure of global pets at over a billion, with more than half the world likely to have a pet at home. There is now also an understanding that a positive relationship with a companion animal can help the physical and mental health of the humans that care for and enjoy it. As the world experiences a growing middle class, with disposable income, and sees more couples choosing to have children later, or not at all, pets are becoming more important in society.

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Greater respect for animal sentience, coupled with increasing numbers of pets occupying the same space, means that stricter codes of conduct must be decided upon to ensure harmony. It also means there are economic opportunities to both provide those pets and provide services for them, necessitating greater breeding regulation and laws surrounding appropriate care. 

The future importation and movement of pets will come under greater scrutiny, as will the rights of an owner to access a pet whether they live in rented accommodation or own their home. Increasingly, unhealthy and extreme conformations in certain breeds, including flat faced, or brachycephalic, cats and dogs, are being criticised, with some complete breeding bans in place already. The same level of scrutiny is being applied to the mutilation of pets for cosmetic purposes, such as ear cropping. 

The future of pet laws

The UK is also likely to introduce laws that follow the global trend of higher animal welfare standards. There are currently many active campaigns with strong public support including regulation for animal rescues, a ban on greyhound racing, better protection for cats on roads, protecting pets from domestic abuse, more control over firework zones that restrict the private use of fireworks and the reversal of the XL Bully ban.

Despite some stringent laws existing in the UK today, it seems there’s still plenty of work to be done – and the public desire to see its success.

Resources

• Tugwell, J. and Byrne, E. (2025). Dog owners must spend three hours minimum with pet under ACT’s proposed animal welfare laws. [online] Abc.net.au.

• Kotzmann, J.S. (2020). Recognising the Sentience of Animals in Law: A Justification and Framework for Australian States and Territories. [online] WBI Studies Repository.

• ACT Legislation Register. (n.d.). Animal Welfare Act 1992 | Acts. [online]

• ACT Legislation Register. (n.d.). Domestic Animals Act 2000 | Acts. [online]

• Pet theft taskforce report. [online] GOV.UK.

• Health for Animals (2022). HealthforAnimalsGlobal Trends in the Pet Population [online] HealthforAnimals.