Protections for animals and people

Motion Text

That this House expresses concern over the gaps in legislation that allow perpetrators of animal abuse to evade scrutiny before the judicial system; believes that this is of grave concern, due to the link between child sexual abuse and animal sexual abuse as offenders who harm animals are five times more likely to commit interpersonal violence; notes that animal abuse cannot be simply treated as an isolated animal welfare incident but rather must be treated as a crucial identifier for wider sexual and domestic violence; considers that laws surrounding animal sexual abuse are outdated and make the early-identification of abusers worryingly unlikely; further believes that it is necessary to address the current inconsistencies in how sexual abuse of animals is tackled as a signpost for potential abuse of others; and calls on the Government to review the definition of animal sexual abuse.