Companion Animal Sector Council

05/08/2026

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08/07/2026

What a fantastic day at our 2026 Companion Animal Welfare Forum in Westminster on 2 July!

Now that the dust has settled, we are delighted to reflect on a hugely successful event that brought together more than 100 CASC members and guests from across the companion animal sector.

The Forum is a unique opportunity for animal keepers, businesses, welfare organisations, sector experts, Peers, MPs, Government officials and devolved administrations to come together in one room. These face-to-face conversations help build understanding, strengthen cooperation and ensure that the views and experiences of those working across the sector help shape future discussions and policy.

We are extremely grateful to everyone who helped make the day such a success. Our thanks go to Lord Trees for his continued support of CASC, Baroness Hayman for finding time in her ministerial diary to join us, Dr Neil Hudson MP for supporting the event, the Defra team for making so many colleagues available, Peter Laurie and representatives from the devolved administrations for travelling to London to take part.

A special thank you also goes to our speakers, Liz Mullineaux, Dr Harriet Pierpoint and Dr Jenny Maher, for their informative and thought-provoking presentations, and to our discussion moderators, Sharon Edwards, Tariq Abou-Zahr, Elliot Simpson-Brown and Sonya Miles, for keeping the conversations focused, constructive and relevant.

Finally, thank you to our helpers, note takers, photographers and, of course, everyone who attended and contributed to the discussions. Your input is invaluable and will help inform CASC’s ongoing work.

If you joined us on the day, we would love to see your photos — please share them in the comments below.

We look forward to continuing these important conversations and hope to see you all — and many more — in 2027!

02/07/2026

Listening to Lord Trees starting the annual CASC forum. It's wonderful to see all the stakeholders here to share their views, and best practices.

"Improving animal welfare is a journey of many steps."

29/06/2026

29/06/2026

Our 2026 Companion Animal Welfare Forum is just a few days away, and we have a fantastic day of presentations and discussion groups lined up.

A few late places have become available, so if you’d like to join the conversation in London on 2 July, please email [email protected].

We would especially welcome delegates from small rescue and rehoming centres, commercial pet breeders, and licensed pet businesses

29/06/2026

Our 2026 Companion Animal Welfare Forum is just a few days away, bringing together a range of companion animal sector stakeholders we have a fantastic day of presentations and discussion groups lined up.
A few late places have become available, so if you’d like to join the conversation in London on 2 July, please email [email protected].
We’ll be covering some of today’s key companion animal welfare topics, including licensing of activities involving animals, regulation of rescue and rehoming centres, veterinary access for companion animals, and pet sourcing — all important areas within the Government’s animal welfare strategy.

We would especially welcome delegates from small rescue and rehoming centres, commercial pet breeders, and licensed pet businesses. Come and be part of the discussion!

26/06/2026

This Invasive Species Week, the Companion Animal Sector Council is getting behind day 5’s theme of responsible pet ownership and the a simple but important message: Don’t let them loose.

Across the companion animal sector, we all want the same thing: happy, healthy pets, confident owners and thriving native wildlife.
Letting a pet, live food, plants, bedding or water go into the wild might seem harmless, but it can put animals at risk and create problems for local wildlife and the wider environment.

That’s why we’re encouraging pet keepers to take a few simple steps: keep animals secure, dispose of waste carefully, and look for safe rehoming options if a pet can no longer be cared for.

• Keep pets safe by never releasing them into the wild.
• Help protect wildlife by preventing escapes and disposing of plants, bedding, water and other materials responsibly.
• Ask for advice if you can no longer care for an animal — there are better options than letting them loose.

We’d love to see everyone in the sector helping to share this message in a practical, positive way.

Small actions can make a big difference for pets, their owners and our natural environment.

You can find more information on the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat’ “Don’t let them loose” campaign here: https://www.nonnativespecies.org/what-can-i-do/dont-let-them-loose

03/06/2026

Bringing together CASC Members, Parliamentarians, officials, and stakeholders, our Companion Animal Welfare Forum 2026 is just a month away and we have an incredible programme lined up. 🗓️

This year, we are focusing on how CASC can support the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy, featuring high-level insights and stakeholder discussion groups.

📋 Featured Presentations:
• Reform of the VSA and the CMA investigation: Potential impacts on companion animal care.
• A summary of the current CASC Working Groups. What are we working on?
• The Landscape of Rescue & Rehoming operations (Animal Welfare Establishments) in Wales: Recommendations for future research.
• The Government’s Commitment to Animal Welfare.

💬 Interactive Discussion Groups:
• Gaps in veterinary care for small companion animals: What are they and what needs to change?
• Regulation of Rescue & Rehoming Operations (AWE's): Is regulation needed, and how can it recognise the complexity of this sector?
• Simplifying LAIA guidance for selling animals as pets and animal exhibitions to reduce burdens on businesses without compromising welfare.
• Sourcing companion animals: What are the challenges associated with where our pets come from, and what measures could improve supply chain welfare?

It’s going to be an interesting day!