Network for Animals - Political Animal Lobby

A sister organization to Network for Animals, the Political Animal Lobby (PAL) was founded by Brian Davies in the early nineties, at a time when frustrated activists were resorting to violence to achieve certain animal welfare goals. Brian believed, however, that the ballot box was better than the bomb as a means to put animal welfare high on the political agenda of Government. Tens of thousands of British animal lovers agreed with him and supported PAL with their donations and a flood of letters to Parliamentarians demanding their support for progressive animal welfare legislation.

With a clear goal and a strategy to achieve it, PAL has dramatically thrust animal welfare higher on the agenda of political parties by taking a dramatic new approach that was light years outside the normal parameters of other animal welfare organizations. PAL contributed very substantial contributions to the election campaign of the political party that had the strongest animal welfare manifesto positions and a real chance of winning. For the past three general elections that has been the Labour Party. PAL has also contributed to the Conservative Party, the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats in an effort to have them pay more attention to animal welfare issues and this has been a successful initiative.

Successes for Animals
With animal welfare now high on the agenda of all the political parties, especially the Labour Party, here are the highlights of what successive Labour Governments, often with cross party support, have done in the context of new legislation and other initiatives benefiting animals and their environment:

• The appointment of a minister for animal welfare
• An act to ban hunting with hounds
• A new and much improved animal welfare act
• Strong leadership for maintaining a ban on commercial whaling
• Strong leadership for endangered species on the international stage
• Strong leadership of an EU ban on the importation of seal products
• New welfare of farm animals regulations
• A ban on cat and dog fur trading
• New chicken welfare rules
• Improved regulations for offshore marine conservation
• Improved regulations for animal transportation

Ongoing Work
Following is a list of the prime issues that PAL will focus on during the next Parliament:

Hunting with Hounds
David Cameron is on record as favouring a free vote on the repeal of the Hunting With Hounds Act if he becomes Prime Minister. A repeal of this legislation would be a slap in the face to every British animal lover. So with our individual supporters we will do all that we can to change his mind. PAL has also contributed to the 2010 re-election campaigns of a number of MPs who have strong records on animal welfare and who support the retention of this Act.

Badger Culling
Resisting pressure from the National Farmers Union (NFU), Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, rejected proposals for a renewed cull of badgers, saving tens-of-thousands of these loveable animals from a truly cruel death by gassing or shooting. The issue has not been put to rest, however, and all the evidence appears to point to the NFU'S continued determination to see the eradication of huge numbers of badgers.

The fight for the badgers never ends and despite clear scientific evidence that culling badgers will do little to eradicate TB, the Welsh Assembly, caving in to strong pressure from the Farmers Union of Wales (FUW), recently gave the go-ahead for a cull of these persecuted animals. PAL will continue to demand that the Welsh Assembly withdraw their craven support for this cruel, irresponsible initiative.

An Early Day Motion for Philippines Dogs
Strongly encouraged and supported by PAL, an Early Day Motion (EDM) # 774, was tabled by a cross party group of MPs who are concerned about the high levels of cruelty inherent in the Philippines dog meat trade. The Motion calls on the Philippines Government to create a Special Task Force dedicated to vigorously enforcing current laws against this activity and ending it forever. With 75 MPs signing the Motion so far, PAL will continue to encourage other MPs to join them and send a strong message to the Philippines Government that the dog meat trade must be eradicated.

Upcoming General Election
At the upcoming general election, PAL will do all it can to help individual Members of Parliament from all parties who have been the heart and soul of the legislative effort to enact animal-friendly laws and regulations and who face tough re-election challenges. These MPs will be desperately needed in a new Parliament if we are to hold on to our gains and perhaps achieve more.

	Political Animal Lobby A sister organization to Network for Animals, the Political Animal Lobby (PAL) was founded by Brian Davies in the early nineties, at a time when frustrated activists were resorting to violence to achieve certain animal welfare goals. Brian believed, however, that the ballot box was better than the bomb as a means to put animal welfare high on the political agenda of Government. Tens of thousands of British animal lovers agreed with him and supported PAL with their donations and a flood of letters to Parliamentarians demanding their support for progressive animal welfare legislation. With a clear goal and a strategy to achieve it, PAL has dramatically thrust animal welfare higher on the agenda of political parties by taking a dramatic new approach that was light years outside the normal parameters of other animal welfare organizations. PAL contributed very substantial contributions to the election campaign of the political party that had the strongest animal welfare manifesto positions and a real chance of winning. For the past three general elections that has been the Labour Party. PAL has also contributed to the Conservative Party, the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats in an effort to have them pay more attention to animal welfare issues and this has been a successful initiative. Successes for Animals With animal welfare now high on the agenda of all the political parties, especially the Labour Party, here are the highlights of what successive Labour Governments, often with cross party support, have done in the context of new legislation and other initiatives benefiting animals and their environment: • The appointment of a minister for animal welfare • An act to ban hunting with hounds • A new and much improved animal welfare act • Strong leadership for maintaining a ban on commercial whaling • Strong leadership for endangered species on the international stage • Strong leadership of an EU ban on the importation of seal products • New welfare of farm animals regulations • A ban on cat and dog fur trading • New chicken welfare rules • Improved regulations for offshore marine conservation • Improved regulations for animal transportation Ongoing Work Following is a list of the prime issues that PAL will focus on during the next Parliament: Hunting with Hounds David Cameron is on record as favouring a free vote on the repeal of the Hunting With Hounds Act if he becomes Prime Minister. A repeal of this legislation would be a slap in the face to every British animal lover. So with our individual supporters we will do all that we can to change his mind. PAL has also contributed to the 2010 re-election campaigns of a number of MPs who have strong records on animal welfare and who support the retention of this Act. Badger Culling Resisting pressure from the National Farmers Union (NFU), Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, rejected proposals for a renewed cull of badgers, saving tens-of-thousands of these loveable animals from a truly cruel death by gassing or shooting. The issue has not been put to rest, however, and all the evidence appears to point to the NFU'S continued determination to see the eradication of huge numbers of badgers. The fight for the badgers never ends and despite clear scientific evidence that culling badgers will do little to eradicate TB, the Welsh Assembly, caving in to strong pressure from the Farmers Union of Wales (FUW), recently gave the go-ahead for a cull of these persecuted animals. PAL will continue to demand that the Welsh Assembly withdraw their craven support for this cruel, irresponsible initiative. An Early Day Motion for Philippines Dogs Strongly encouraged and supported by PAL, an Early Day Motion (EDM) # 774, was tabled by a cross party group of MPs who are concerned about the high levels of cruelty inherent in the Philippines dog meat trade. The Motion calls on the Philippines Government to create a Special Task Force dedicated to vigorously enforcing current laws against this activity and ending it forever. With 75 MPs signing the Motion so far, PAL will continue to encourage other MPs to join them and send a strong message to the Philippines Government that the dog meat trade must be eradicated. Upcoming General Election At the upcoming general election, PAL will do all it can to help individual Members of Parliament from all parties who have been the heart and soul of the legislative effort to enact animal-friendly laws and regulations and who face tough re-election challenges. These MPs will be desperately needed in a new Parliament if we are to hold on to our gains and perhaps achieve more.	NETWORK FOR ANIMALS Imperial House 2 Heigham Road East Ham London E6 2JG Tel. +44 (0)20 8471 7666 info@networkforanimals.org

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