Petition · past parliament
Change the law for neglect to dogs
Rejected
21 signatures
What the petition asks
Change the law to make owners accountable for the neglect of their dogs coat. Make it no longer acceptable to get away with neglect because they only take their dogs to a groomer when they are completely matted.
It breaks our hearts every time we see a matted neglected dog come through our doors, we sob as we carefully clip off the matted coat which is pulling on the skin. These dogs in distress due to the weight of a matted coat and restricted movement. We are unable to report this as neglect, as the owners are not held accountable as they took the necessary steps to get the dog sorted, but most of the time it is a recurring issue. Owners should be prosecuted for this kind of neglect.
Why it was rejected
It was not clear what the petition asked the UK Government or Parliament to do.
Petitions need to call on the Government or Parliament to take a specific action.
We understand that you are concerned about the welfare of dogs, but we're not sure exactly what you'd like the Government or Parliament to do.
The Animal Welfare Act already includes requirements for people who are responsible for an animal to meet its needs, including:
(a) its need for a suitable environment,
(b) its need for a suitable diet,
(c) its need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns,
(d) any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals, and
(e) its need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
If there are additional requirements you want to be added to this, you could start a new petition explaining clearly what additions you would like.
We have published the following petitions, which you might like to sign:
Compulsory home checks and abusers database to protect animals: Compulsory home checks and abusers database to protect animals
Introduce Dog Licensing and Registration: Introduce Dog Licensing and Registration
We understand that you are concerned about the welfare of dogs, but we're not sure exactly what you'd like the Government or Parliament to do.
The Animal Welfare Act already includes requirements for people who are responsible for an animal to meet its needs, including:
(a) its need for a suitable environment,
(b) its need for a suitable diet,
(c) its need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns,
(d) any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals, and
(e) its need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
If there are additional requirements you want to be added to this, you could start a new petition explaining clearly what additions you would like.
We have published the following petitions, which you might like to sign:
Compulsory home checks and abusers database to protect animals: Compulsory home checks and abusers database to protect animals
Introduce Dog Licensing and Registration: Introduce Dog Licensing and Registration
Timeline
| 20 Aug 2021 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 24 Aug 2021 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
21
Status
Rejected
Rejected
24 Aug 2021
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.