The British Veterinary Association’s new report outlines significant achievements in improving animal welfare since 2016 as a result of its policymaking, campaigning and lobbying work, and sets out six new areas for future action.
Nine years since the publication of its landmark Animal Welfare Strategy, the BVA celebrates major steps forward in animal welfare and details a new set of priorities in its report, ‘BVA Animal Welfare Strategy – Evaluation and Next Steps’.
BVA president Dr Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “When BVA set out its animal welfare strategy in 2016, our ambition was clear – to provide a coherent and consistent approach for BVA and its members to advocate good animal welfare and to contribute to solutions for real-world priority animal welfare problems.
“Through our campaigning and lobbying, we’ve made huge strides, from critical legislation to supporting the veterinary professions to advocate for animal welfare with clients, and inspiring others at an international level. But there is still more work to do, and our new priorities will form the basis for achieving this.”
The new report details six new areas for future action identified following consultation with BVA’s committees, engagement with its specialist divisions, and a cross-sector survey of stakeholders on the role of vets and vet nurses in improving animal welfare. These fall under broad themes such as national and international advocacy, technology and environmental sustainability.
Dr Mullineaux continued: “In the last few years, animal welfare science has grown in profile and our own definition of animal welfare has evolved.
“We have also seen significant social and economic change and disruption, from the UK’s departure from the European Union and the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic to the cost-of-living crisis, all of which have not only impacted animal welfare in many ways but also the way animal owners, veterinary professionals, farmers, and policy makers view the social licence around the use of animals. That is why this impact assessment and the setting of new priority areas for future action are so timely.
“None of these achievements would have been possible without the contributions and engagement from our members. In 2025, where the legitimacy and importance of veterinary professionals being advocates for animal welfare is embedded at an individual and societal level, BVA will continue to champion the achievements that have gone before and kickstart work against the new priorities.”
