5. Will the Minister make a statement on the impact of COVID-19 on animal welfare in Wales? OQ56041

Thank you. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we've issued guidance, working with the veterinary profession and existing companion animal welfare groups and have established our own farmed animal health and welfare group to specifically consider the impact of COVID-19 on animal welfare. Promoting high animal welfare standards remains a priority, despite the challenges we're all facing.

Thank you, Minister. During this COVID-19 pandemic, of course, we've seen an increase in demand for and the selling of puppies from various sources. Now, UK-based Google searches for puppies near where I live have increased more than six times and the number of licences issued for the commercial import of dogs more than doubled to 12,733 from June to August 2019 in the same three-month period this year. So, there is a serious concern that we are sitting on an animal welfare time bomb. It just beggars belief that import licences to bring dogs and puppies in have doubled in that way, when you see how many strays there are, how many unwanted dogs are waiting for forever homes. So, there could be a significant increase in the levels of abandonment as the further economic consequences of coronavirus are realised. So, it's fair to say our rescue centres must be prepared. However, fundraising opportunities are vastly reduced, and a survey of members of the Animal Welfare Network Wales showed 71 per cent of organisations calling for grants to be made available to rescues—that's a significant amount of people needing help to look after these dogs that find themselves in dire straits. So, will you consider stepping in at some point with some funding to assist the rescue centres, should they be able to prove that, despite the grants they may have received from any other sources, you might be able to help in some way? Thank you.

I thank Janet Finch-Saunders for that question. You raised this issue when I was in front of committee last Thursday, and both I and the chief veterinary officer said that we haven't seen an increase in abandonment. But maybe it's too early because, obviously, people perhaps are working from home, who have not gone back to work, and if they've had a puppy or a dog during that time, maybe it is a bit early to assess that, but we are keeping a close eye on that.

I think I also mentioned last week that the economic resilience fund, which is unique to Wales, supporting businesses, is available for some of the centres to which you referred to apply for. Clearly, it's something that we are keeping a very close eye on and, as the pandemic progresses and we do come out of this and we do see people returning to work et cetera, we will have to, as I say, keep a very close eye. But, certainly, we're not seeing the levels of abandonment that I think you referred to.

A number of people have bought pets for the first time because they're working from home due to COVID and they feel they've got time to look after them. Should training in animal welfare be offered to people purchasing their first pet, because, to be quite honest with you, if I actually bought a rabbit, I wouldn't have the faintest idea what to do with it?

I think you make a very important point, and I wouldn't just say it's a first pet; I think anyone purchasing a pet, because, as you say, sometimes people buy rabbits or dogs et cetera. But we have got appropriate training available. I know that, in relation to dogs, there is the local authority dog breeding project. That's looking at improvements around socialisation plans that are being put into practice at licensed dog breeding premises, and I think that that's a first step, in training puppies to make sure that they are good family pets.