Closed petition Make neutering compulsory for pet cats and dogs

Closed on 4 March 2024

The Government should consult with professional bodies and rescues to decide when animals should be neutered, then introduce compulsory neutering, with fines for owners whose pets have a litter when they should have been neutered. Give vets the responsibility to report offenders.

Working animals and registered breeders etc would fall outside the scope of this legislation.

Many rescues are overwhelmed at the moment. This is partly due to the cost of living crisis. There are boxes of kittens and puppies that are being abandoned. Adoptions have also slowed due to the cost of pet ownership.

This means many rescues are almost always full with a waiting list, and often unable to help in cases such as when a pet is lost or whose owner has passed away.