Recognise animals as sentient, increase penalties, and count each harmed animal.
Change UK law to recognise dogs/cats and all other animals as sentient, increase penalties for serious cruelty, and treat each harmed animal, alive or deceased, as a separate victim so sentences reflect the full scale of harm.
- 26 MAR 2026Petition rejectedduplicate
Dogs and cats are already considered sentient beings: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-sentience-committee-impact-of-definitions-of-animals-in-law/animal-sentience-committee-welfare-implications-of-legislative-differences-in-the-definition-of-animals There are open petitions calling for similar action to that which this petition is calling for, and which you may wish to sign: 'Change laws regarding abuse of multiple animals' https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/738567 'Fund a new government-backed animal cruelty policing unit' https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/755755 'Create a national database of convicted animal abusers' https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/756424 'Stronger penalties for animal cruelty and stricter regulations on animal sales' https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/740729 'Introduce custodial minimum sentences for animal cruelty offences' https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/743142 'Make a public animal abuser register & automatically ban ownership' https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/759783
- 21 FEB 2026Petition created