Alongside 40 animal organisations, Cruelty Free International is backing the #BetterDealForAnimals campaign, calling on the UK government to urgently incorporate recognition of animal sentience into UK law.

Thanks to your support and the support of thousands of UK citizens for a government petition, parliament will debate this incredibly important issue when it returns this month.

The scheduled date for Brexit – 31 October – is now only a couple of months away, and the government has still not honoured its much-welcomed commitment to sentience legislation. Without this, animals will no longer be legally recognised as sentient beings and there will be no legal requirement for government to pay regard to their needs when formulating and implementing policy.

With Brexit, we lose Article 13 of the Treaty of Lisbon from UK law. Article 13 sets out a framework within which full regard must be paid to the sentience of animals when developing and implementing public policy.

We believe that it is essential that government introduces animal sentience legislation as soon as possible so that the country does not leave the EU without sentience being part of UK legislation. That legislation should set out the process for how all government departments will assess and report on animal sentience, and how they will handle any associated animal welfare duties in all policy areas covered. It should also include a power to establish an Animal Welfare Advisory Commission to support government - including individual departments and public bodies - in discharging its duty to animals, providing independent and transparent advice.

Please ask your Member of Parliament to urge government to act now!