Retailers, food service and government need to catch up with public attitudes towards meat consumption, animal welfare and supporting farmers. As part of the Eating Better alliance, we focus on promoting ‘less and better’ meat and dairy consumption, and a shift towards healthy and sustainable diets. Find out how you can reduce the meat in your diet here.

Dozens of planning applications for new or expanded farms are submitted to local authorities every year. Many of these are for intensive systems or ‘mega farms’, which see hundreds of thousands, and even millions of animals kept in confinement. Intensive farms are designed to maximise food production and profit, and animals suffer as a result, with increased instances of disease and shortened lives. Factory farms are also detrimental to the environment. You can help our campaign against them by adding your voice here.

Foie gras production involves repeatedly force-feeding ducks and geese, causing immeasurable suffering. The practice is illegal in the UK, but we still import around 200 tonnes from Europe each year. The Government has dropped plans to ban foie gras but we are still working to push this issue through Parliament.

We want to End the Cage Age and ban the use of farrowing crates for sows, individual pens for calves and barren, enriched and ‘combi’ cages for chickens by 2027. Email your MP on this matter, and read more in our blog. 

We are calling for a consolidated effort from the Government to ensure that UK trade policy adheres to core animal welfare standards. We are responding to as many government consultations on this matter as possible. We must not import cruelty into the UK. Read more here. 

We want to see an end to the cruel sport of trophy hunting once and for all.The UK Government must introduce a total ban on the import of hunting trophies - with no loopholes or exemptions! Find out more.

The barbaric cruelty of fur farming must end. Although illegal here, we still import and sell millions of pounds worth of fur into the UK each year. We want a fur free Britain. Find out what we are doing to influence the Government on this issue.

We want the Hunting Act strengthened, with better enforcement and heftier fines. Loopholes, such as trail hunting that ‘accidentally’ end with the death of a fox, should be banned. Furthermore, we support fellow NGOs in ending the badger cull through our work within the Wildlife and Countryside Link coalition.

We have responded to the Government’s consultation on zoo animal welfare. We are now waiting to hear the responses and the Government’s subsequent plans.

Whether performing in circuses, bought as pets or killed and turned into traditional medicine, skins or trophies, a lack of regulation in Europe is putting an almost extinct species at risk. At least 1,682 tiger products were seized from 2009-2014 in the UK. Click here to find out more about this cruel trade.  

During the pandemic, there was an explosion in demand for puppies allowing illegal breeders to profit. Thousands of puppies are smuggled into the UK each year from across Europe, having been bred in horrific conditions that affect their long-term health and welfare. We need tougher restrictions to combat puppy smuggling and ensure puppies, and the families buying them, do not suffer. Read more about our work here.

The rules around UK dog breeding need to be stronger and better enforced by Local Authorities. FOUR PAWS is working to ensure that existing rules are properly applied and that new regulations are introduced to address current loopholes and gaps. Until this happens, unscrupulous breeders will continue to profit from the suffering of animals and unsuspecting owners.