INSURANCE COVER FOR OWNERS OF ANIMALS

That this House welcomes the introduction of the Animals Act (Amendment) Bill by the hon. Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire; recognises the unfairness resulting from the House of Lords' decision in the case of Mirvahedy v Henley [2003] under which the keepers of animals can be held liable for incidents they could not have anticipated; notes the consequential difficulties of horse-owners and stables in obtaining insurance cover; further recognises that the Bill does not seek to change the objectives or scope of the existing legislation but merely to ensure that the Act adequately reflects Parliament's original intentions; further notes the importance of the equine industry to the British countryside and its economy; and further notes the widespread support for the Bill from the animal owning sector and insurers.