5. What measures is the Welsh Government taking to improve animal welfare? OQ57364

Thank you. The recently published animal welfare plan sets out improvements to animal welfare in Wales. It focuses on high standards, the adoption and sharing of best practice, engagement with key stakeholders, the development of effective, supportive and sustainable mechanisms for enforcement, and through its dynamic promotion of responsible ownership.

Diolch, Minister. At the start of November, the whole of Wales was declared an avian influenza prevention zone, which means that it's a legal requirement for keepers of captive birds to follow strict biosecurity measures to protect their birds. This applies to everyone, even if you only own a single bird, and this is a worrying time for bird keepers. Minister, how best can the people of Wales protect their birds from this disease, and how will the Welsh Government assess the scale of the outbreak as we move into 2022? 

Thank you very much. I can hear a dog joining in the oral answered questions today. You're quite right; we have had a significant outbreak of avian influenza across Great Britain. I mentioned in an earlier answer that we're now up to 52 incidents; we have three in Wales. We did bring in mandatory housing of birds at the end of last month. We are consistently assessing the impact. I know the chief veterinary officers right across the UK meet—I think every evening they're meeting at the moment. It's having a significant impact on veterinary capacity. So, I would urge all people in Wales who keep birds to register. At the moment, you only have to register if you have a certain number of birds, but I think it's very important; even if you only have one, please register, because then you will be assured of receiving up-to-date information as we get it. It happened very early this winter. We have avian influenza most winters unfortunately. It's brought on often by wild birds, but, unfortunately, it started much earlier and it is really significant at the current time. I've just brought in what we call a 'lite emergency control centre' in Cathays Park. It's just a virtual one at the moment to support the office of the chief veterinary officer because, clearly, it is having a massive impact on our workforce resources here in Wales. 

Minister, I've raised this with you a number of times now—certainly, during the fifth term—but I remain increasingly concerned about the number of videos and photos that are being posted on Facebook and other social media sites adorned with marketing prose such as 'one puppy left'. Indeed, I'm actually on Facebook now reading, 'Can anyone help me find a home for this little puppy? Oh, beautiful, how much? No cost'. 'Why are they getting rid of him?', and they say, 'Oh, work commitments'. So, my concerns have been reflected in a recent report from the Blue Cross, which found that there remains a high number of puppies available to buy online, with over 400 adverts placed daily, and this actual wild west approach, to me, undermines the regulations that you've tried bringing in on the sale of third party puppies and kittens. As my colleague Sam Kurtz has mentioned, the BBC Wales investigation found that it's helping to create—

Janet, you need to ask your question now. 

—a brutal trade in designer dog looks. What steps can you commit to undertaking, working with your counterparts in the UK Government, to ensure that social media networks are playing their role in enforcing lawful sales and that this isn't a route to see puppies rehomed in not the most appropriate manner? 

I think Janet Finch-Saunders raises a very important point, and we've seen an increase in pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, over the COVID-19 pandemic, which I think has fuelled the rise that we are seeing on social media. It's very hard, isn't it, when social media isn't regulated in the way that other parts of the sector are. On the issue around dog ear cropping, which I referred to before, again we are seeing an increase on social media in relation to that. I think it's really important we continue to work with trading standards because, obviously, they work collaboratively both regionally and nationally so that they can share intelligence, for instance, to see where this is happening, and they can work much more closely, I think, local authorities, right across the UK, to avoid this. But it is a massive issue, I'm afraid. But I think buyers have a responsibility, too. And even if you're rescuing a puppy or if you're having one with no cost, I still think, as an individual, you have a responsibility where you do source your puppy, dog, cat or kitten from.