The party conference season comes around with clockwork regularity every September and October. It is best known for high-profile speeches from the platforms and rounds of media interviews that politicians undertake.   

But for campaigning organisations like FOUR PAWS, it’s one of our key moments of the year – an opportunity to meet and talk with MPs outside the busy halls of Parliament. When the House of Commons is sitting, MPs are forever rushing between meetings and debates and dealing with matters in their constituencies, limiting the time we have to explain why we need their support on important animal welfare issues like puppy smuggling, and the import of hunting trophies, fur and foie gras.  

At conferences, MPs have time to engage, get to know us and discuss how they can help us bring about change.

The FOUR PAWS team attending the 2024 conference season has years of experience in building relationships with MPs, and more than anything, we were looking forward to meeting many of the 335 newly elected MPs. 

What really stood out for us was just how aware, supportive, and engaged many of these new MPs were on animal welfare issues. For some, this was because YOU did such a great job of getting them to commit to be animal welfare champions when they were on the pre-election campaign trail, by writing to them and ensuring they understood that this was an important issue for voters.  

Many others were already proud animal welfare advocates, and they spoke to us with passion about actively being involved in campaigns and animal advocacy already or had diverse animal-friendly lifestyle choices.  

I don’t think I’ve ever been to a party conference before (and I’ve been going for more than 30 years) where so many of our elected representatives seemed to just “get” animal welfare without needing any convincing.  

In the past, it’s been hard work. I’ve seen cynicism, MPs arguing that animals shouldn’t be prioritised over people. Others understood and even empathised, but said they had too much on their plate. Others still have always been staunch friends and allies for both FOUR PAWS, the wider animal welfare movement, and the animals, but had to accept they can’t change things alone.        

In the space of 30 years, animal welfare has evolved into something that the majority of people neither ignore nor laugh about. It’s framed in our legislation, our DNA, and in our national consciousness. 

Of course, animal welfare advocates like us are still struggling to make our voices heard but more due to vested interests and established power structures which resist necessary change, than anyone with a perspective that somehow animals don’t matter. 

So, although we haven’t quite won yet, those new MPs we have met with over the past weeks present an opportunity to help millions of animals. If they maintain their passion and determination to effect change for animals, then with our support that win can be within reach.