Fireworks and pyrotechnics in the UK
We are seeking views on the regulation of pyrotechnics and fireworks in the UK.
What the government is asking about
Consultations about animals run by UK government departments and their agencies — the ones open for responses now, and the record of what has been asked and what was decided. Titles and summaries are reproduced as published.
confirmed 74 minutes ago against the GOV.UK Search API, and rechecked every 12 hours.
1open now
99with an outcome
118held in total
Open for responses
Responding is done on GOV.UK, not here. This site does not collect responses, and does not say what a response should contain.
Closed, and what came of them
117 consultations, most recent deadline first.
Vets market investigation: draft substantive Order and Undertakings
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is consulting on the draft Veterinary Services Market Investigation Order 2026, a draft explanatory note to the Order, and the draft Veterinary Services Market Investigation Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Undertakings 2026.
Vets market investigation: draft Funding Order and Undertakings
The CMA invited views on the draft funding Order and Undertakings.
Proposals to prohibit trail hunting in England and Wales
Inviting views on the government’s proposed approach to implementing a ban on trail hunting in England and Wales.
Animal Health and Welfare Pathway: mandatory proposals
Seeking views on proposed new measures to enhance livestock health and welfare for cattle, sheep and pigs in England.
Improving protection for huntable wild birds
Seeking views on proposed legislative changes to better protect certain species of wild birds in the UK.
Reform of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966
Consulting on reforms to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, including recognising the full veterinary team, modernising the regulator and regulating businesses.
Lamb welfare: proposed changes to castration and tail docking methods
Seeking views on proposed changes to the methods used for lamb castration and tail docking.
Cage reform: proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages
Seeking views on a proposed ban on keeping laying hens, pullets and breeder layers in cages.
Microchips in pets: scanning prior to euthanasia
Seeking your views on scanning microchips in dogs and cats prior to euthanasia.
Vets market investigation: consultation on provisional decision
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is consulting on the provisional decision in its market investigation into the supply of veterinary services for household pets.
Vets market investigation: remedies working paper
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) invites views from vet businesses, veterinary professionals and other interested parties on the likely effect of the remedies it's considering.
Poultry catching and handling: proposed changes to permitted methods
Seeking views on proposed changes to how you’re allowed to catch (lift and carry) laying hens and meat chickens when loading and unloading for transport.
Livestock feed controls review for England and Wales
Consultation on whether England and Wales should change their Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs) related livestock feed controls.
Amending poultry meat marketing regulations in England and Scotland
Seeking views on a proposed legislative reform to the assimilated Poultry Meat Marketing Standards Regulation (No. 543/2008).
Bovine TB: comment on an application for a low risk area badger disease control licence, August 2024
Find out how to comment on badger control in Cumbria.
Bovine TB: future badger control policy and cattle measure proposals
Consultation on proposals to evolve badger control policy and support responsible cattle movements and purchasing. This is part of the Bovine TB Eradication Strategy.
Consultation on the proposal to make a market investigation reference into veterinary services for household pets in the UK
A consultation on whether to launch a market investigation into the veterinary services market for household pets.
Proposed changes to wildlife licence charges: how to comment
Find out about plans to change some of the fees Natural England charges for wildlife licences.
Bovine TB: comment on an application for a supplementary badger disease control licence, February 2024
Find out how to comment on badger control in Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Somerset, and Warwickshire.
Police dogs and mounted police authorised professional practice
The College of Policing is seeking views from the public and across policing on new guidance for the use, welfare and care of police dogs and horses.
Summary of stakeholder responses: Consultation on proposals for a new framework in England for the regulation of precision bred organisms used for food and animal feed
England specific This consultation sought stakeholder views on a new regulatory framework in England for the regulation of precision bred food and animal feed.
Summary of stakeholder responses 17 July 2023 to 28 August 2023: Amendments to Retained Regulation 2019/1793: Imported Food and Feed not of Animal Origin
This was a joint Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) consultation on proposed amendments to Retained Regulation 2019/1793.
Penalty notices for animal health and welfare offences
Seeking views on the government’s proposals to introduce penalty notices for animal health and welfare offences in England.
Primate licensing scheme
Seeking views on the proposed licensing scheme for private primate keepers in England and the draft standards for care and management of primates.
Importing, batch testing and batch release of veterinary medicines in GB
Proposals set out to update the Veterinary Medicines Regulations for batch testing and batch releasing of imported veterinary medicines, as they apply in GB.
Poultry and other captive birds: registration in Great Britain
Seeking views on proposals to make it compulsory for bird keepers in Great Britain to register their birds.
Consultation on spatial management measures for industrial sandeel fishing
Consulting on management measures for industrial sandeel fishing in English waters of the North Sea.
Review of the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013
Seeking views on changes to the law on veterinary medicines.
Bovine TB: comment on an application for a supplementary badger disease control licence, February 2023
Find out how to comment on badger control in Hampshire, Avon, Herefordshire, and Wiltshire.
Contractual practice in the UK pig sector
Seeking views on supply chain relations in the UK pig sector.
Deer management strategy
We're seeking views in this consultation on key proposals for a new deer management strategy.
Improvements to equine identification and traceability in England
We are seeking your views about improving England’s equine identification and traceability system.
Cat and dog microchipping consultation
We are seeking your views on changes to the microchipping regulations. We want to make it easier to reunite lost or stolen cats and dog and improve breeder traceability.
Bovine TB: comment on an application for a badger disease control licence, March 2022
Find out how to comment on badger control in Somerset and Dorset.
Bovine TB: comment on an application for a badger disease control licence, February 2022
Find out how to comment on badger control in Buckinghamshire, Cornwall, Devon, Cheshire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire.
Bovine TB: comment on an application for a supplementary badger disease control licence, February 2022
Find out how to comment on badger control in Cheshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Somerset and Staffordshire.
Beaver reintroduction and management in England
We are seeking your views on our proposed approach to beaver reintroduction and management in England.
Changes to the rules on bringing pets into Great Britain
We are seeking your views on our proposed changes to the rules around the movement of pets into Great Britain.
UK ivory ban: additional enforcement requirements to the Ivory Act 2018
Seeking views on our proposals for additional enforcement requirements to the Ivory Act 2018.
Extending the Ivory Act to other ivory bearing species
We would like to know what you think about extending the Ivory Act (2018) to other ivory bearing species.
Fur market in Great Britain
Seeking views on the fur market in Great Britain to help shape government policy in relation to the fur trade.
Live animal exports: improvements to animal welfare in transport
Seeking views on ending live animal exports for slaughter and fattening, starting in or transported through England or Wales, and on further improvements to animal welfare in transport.
Bovine TB: comment on an application for a badger disease control licence, February 2021
Find out how to comment on badger control in Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Devon, Cornwall, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Hampshire.
Bovine TB: comment on an application for a supplementary badger disease control licence, February 2021
Find out how to comment on badger control in Somerset, Dorset, Avon, Cheshire, Devon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
Cat and dog microchipping and scanning in England
Seeking views on our plans to make cat microchipping compulsory in England.
Primates as pets in England
Seeking views on our proposals to ban the keeping of primates as pets and how this ban might be enforced.
Review of The Highway Code to improve road safety for cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders
Proposes amending The Highway Code to introduce a hierarchy of road users, clarify pedestrian and cyclist priority, and establish safer overtaking.
Bovine TB: badger vaccination and culling in England’s Edge Areas
Seeking views on proposals to introduce no-cull zones around vaccination sites in Edge Areas in England to manage the implementation of both badger vaccination and culling.
Bovine TB: comment on an application for a badger disease control licence, February 2020
Find out how to comment on badger control in Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire.
Bovine TB: comment on an application for a supplementary badger disease control licence, February 2020
Find out how to comment on badger control in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Devon, Gloucestershire and Cornwall.
Hunting trophies: controlling imports to and exports from the UK
Seeking views on whether to introduce further restrictions on hunting trophies entering or leaving the UK.
General licences for wild birds: survey on management measures in England
Seeking views on what general licences to kill or take wild birds should cover. We're also asking for evidence on issues like record keeping.
Bovine TB: comment on supplementary badger control licence applications or expressions of interest March 2019
Find out how to comment on badger control in Dorset.
Coarse fishing close season on English rivers
We want your views on whether to keep, change or remove the current close season.
Introducing Inshore Vessel Monitoring Systems (I-VMS) for fishing boats under 12m
Seeking views on introducing I-VMS for all British licenced fishing boats under 12 metres that are fishing in English waters.
Banning commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens in England
Seeking views on plans to introduce a ban on the commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens in England.
Bovine TB: Extending the use of Approved Tuberculin Testers (ATTs) to perform skin tests on cattle in England
Seeking views on allowing private veterinary practices to use ATTs to perform tuberculin skin testing on cattle in England.
Changing carcase classification and price reporting in abattoirs in England
Seeking views on making sheep carcase classification and price reporting mandatory for commercial-scale abattoirs in England.
Bovine TB: comment on badger control licence applications or expressions of interest June 2018
Find out how to comment on badger control in Cumbria.
Animal welfare: banning the use of electronic training collars for cats and dogs
Seeking comments on our plans to introduce a ban on the use of electronic training collars for cats and dogs.
Bovine TB: introducing licensed badger controls in the Low Risk Area of England
Seeking views on proposals to introduce licensed badger control in the Low Risk Area of England.
Bovine TB: revising guidance for licensing badger control areas
Seeking views on proposals to remove the cap on the number of areas that can be licenced by Natural England for badger culling activity.
Bovine TB: comment on badger control licence applications or expressions of interest March 2018
Find out how to comment on badger control in Avon, Berkshire, Derbyshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire.
Animal welfare: updating the code of practice for the welfare of pigs
Seeking views on a new statutory code of practice for the welfare of pigs.
Animal welfare: updating the code of practice for the welfare of laying hens
Seeking views on a new statutory code of practice for the welfare of laying hens.
Draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill 2017
Seeking views on our draft Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of Sentience) Bill.
Open access restriction at Holme Dunes Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT): outcome
Find out about plans to change public access to open access land at Holme Bird Observatory in Norfolk.
Animal welfare: updating the code of practice for the welfare of meat chickens
Seeking views on a new statutory code of practice for the welfare of meat chickens and meat breeding chickens, for England.
Animal welfare: CCTV in slaughterhouses
Seeking views on mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses for animal welfare purposes.
Bovine TB: comment on a badger control licence application or expression of interest 2017(2)
Find out how to comment on badger control licence applications or expressions of interest in Somerset, Gloucestershire and adjoining parts of Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Horse identification: changes to regulations in England
Seeking views on new horse identification regulations in England.
Bovine TB: comment on a badger control licence application or expression of interest 2017(1)
Find out how to comment on badger control licence applications or expressions of interest in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and adjoining parts of Somerset and Dorset.
Bovine TB: supplementary badger disease control
Seeking views on proposals to introduce a supplementary licence for farmers to continue badger disease control measures after a licensed cull.
Bovine TB: controlling bovine TB in non-bovine animals
Proposals to introduce more effective control measures to reduce the risk of TB in non-bovine animals.
Pet travel: Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011 review
Seeking views on how the Non-Commercial Movement of Pet Animals Order 2011 (pet travel scheme) is working in Great Britain.
Wildlife licensing: comment on new policies for European protected species licences
Natural England is seeking views on whether 4 new policies could be permitted under licence to benefit European protected species whilst improving flexibility for development.
Bovine TB: comment on a badger control licence application or expression of interest
Find out how to comment on badger control licence applications or expressions of interest in Cheshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Somerset, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.
Animal welfare: reviewing animal establishments licensing in England
Seeking views on plans to simplify and update the licensing system for animal establishments in England.
Reviewing the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010
Seeking views on the initial findings of the review of the Welfare of Racing Greyhounds Regulations 2010.
Changing the constitution of the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
Seeking views on proposed changes to the constitution (size and membership) of the RCVS governing body, the RCVS Council.
Discussion: reviewing import controls on live animals and products of animal origin
We are seeking your views on the effectiveness of import controls on live animals and products of animal origin in England.
Bovine TB in non-bovine farmed animals: call for views
Seeking views and evidence that will be used to inform future decisions on reducing the risk of TB, particularly to farmed non-bovine animals.
Wildlife licensing: comment on a new licence to move water voles for development purposes
Natural England is seeking views on the proposal to issue a new class licence to permanently move water voles for development purposes (licence CL31).
Wildlife licensing: comment on a new licence for the maintenance of waterways inhabited by white-clawed crayfish
Natural England is seeking views on the proposal to issue a new class licence to take white-clawed crayfish to allow maintenance activities on English waterways (licence CL23).
Veterinary Surgeons: language control for EU migrants
Seeking views on if migrant veterinary surgeons from the EU must demonstrate the necessary knowledge of English to practise in the UK.
Bovine TB: updating the criteria for badger control licence applications
Seeking views on proposals to update the licensing criteria for badger control in England. This would apply to applications from 2016.
Dangerous dog offences guideline
Consultation on a revision to the guidelines on dangerous dog offences.
Review of approach to issuing animal test certificates for veterinary medicines
This document provides information on how to give feedback on the review of the approach to issuing animal test certificates for veterinary medicines.
CITES: Changing the Control of Trade in Endangered Species Regulations in UK
Seeking views on proposals to update the regulations for trading in endangered species in the United Kingdom.
Possession of wild bird eggs: changing the defence you can use
Defra and the Welsh ministers are seeking views on changing the defence that can be used for the offence of possessing wild bird eggs.
Bovine animal keeper holding register: changing what needs to be recorded
Seeking views on changing what needs to be recorded in holding registers for bovine animals brought onto holdings in England.
Wildlife licensing: changes to class licence WML-CL22 - non native bumblebee release in commercial glass houses and poly-tunnels
Seeking views of growers on the proposal not to renew class licence WML-CL22 and review permission to release non native bumblebees in commercial glass houses on a case-by-case basis.
Pet travel: planned changes to the EU scheme
Seeking views on planned changes to the EU pet travel scheme.
FAWC consultation on farm animal welfare within sustainable livestock production
Farm Animal Welfare Committee consultation seeking views on the animal welfare implications of moves towards sustainable livestock production.
Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986
This consultation is on the review of Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
Fee changes for statutory services delivered by Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency
Seeking informal views on how moving to full cost recovery will impact you and your business.
Wildlife legislation in England: General and Class Licences
Natural England is seeking views on proposed changes to the General and Class Licences.
Bovine TB: new control measures, tackling transmission between cattle herds
Inviting views from stakeholders on proposals for new control measures to further reduce the risk of bovine TB transmission between cattle herds.
Food safety: amendments to animal feed law code of practice
Consultation on proposed amendments to the the statutory Feed Law Code of Practice (for England and Wales).
Sheep, goats and deer: electronic movement reporting and identification
Consultation on the electronic movement reporting system (including an underpinning database) for sheep, goats and deer (England) and proposed changes to the way in which sheep and goats are identified.
Dangerous dogs: maximum prison sentences for dog attacks
Consultation on whether the punishment for an owner whose dog kills or severely injures a person, or their assistance dog, should be increased.
Farm animal welfare codes reform
The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on the proposal to reform the existing system of on farm animal welfare guidance.
Animal health and welfare and food safety report: review of the balance of competences
Report on animal health and food safety for the government's review of the balance of competences between the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Consultation on proposal to increase the fee to add a prohibited type dog to the Index of Exempted Dogs
Defra is seeking views from Wales on a proposed increase in the fee for placing a dog on the Index of Exempted Dogs.
Wildlife law
Summary The Law Commission announced its 11th Programme of work on 19 July 2011. This includes a project to look at how wildlife management…
Streamlining/updating provisions of the Animal By-Products (Identification) Regulations 1995
This consultation sought views on how best to update the provisions of the Animal By-Products (Identification) Regulations 1995 in England.
Welfare of animals at the time of killing
This consultation invited views on proposals to implement Council Regulation (EC) 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing, in England, with effect from 1 January 2013.
Proposed revision of fees for statutory services delivered by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA)
We are seeking your views on proposed changes to fees for statutory services currently delivered by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency.
Tackling irresponsible dog ownership
Defra sought views on a proposed package of measures aimed at tackling irresponsible ownership of dogs.
Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses
This consultation sought your views on a proposed licensing scheme that would promote and safeguard the welfare of wild animals in travelling circuses in England.
Proposed Legislative Reform Order to amend the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) governs the veterinary profession through its Council and system of committees.
Amendments to The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (WASK)
This consultation sought views on a proposal to make changes to The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 (WASK).
Guidance to Natural England on the implementation and enforcement of a badger control policy
We invited comments - to be considered alongside the responses to the 2010 public consultation - before taking a decision on whether to proceed with a policy of badger control.
Transposition of European directive 2010/63/EU - protection of animals used for scientific purposes
This consultation sought comments on the options for transposing Directive 2010/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes.
Non-formal consultation on proposals to reform the animal welfare inspection regime
Defra, the Welsh Government and the Scottish Government sought comments on proposals to refine the animal welfare inspection regime in Great Britain in order to better target inspections to farms with an increased risk of non-compliance with animal welfare legislation. Defra, the Welsh Government and the Scottish Government sought…
Annual review of Defra’s Contingency Plan for Exotic Notifiable Diseases of Animals
This is a consultation on the Defra (England) Contingency Plan for Exotic Notifiable Diseases of Animals which is reviewed annually and is made under the Animal Health Act 1981 (as amended).
Proposals to implement council directive 92/35/EEC on control of African horse sickness
Defra invited comments on proposals to introduce new legislation on the control of African horse sickness and the draft associated control strategy…
How this page decides what to show
GOV.UK files a consultation under one of three document types across its life: open while it is taking responses, closed once it is not, and outcome once the government has published what it decided. All three are swept, under 14 search terms.
The 14 terms asked of the Search API
animal · animals · dog · cat · wildlife · livestock · hunting · pet · horse · zoo · poultry · welfare · veterinary · badger
A result is kept only when its title names one of the subjects this site covers. GOV.UK searches the full text of a consultation, so a single subject word in the body means very little: asking it for “animal” returns a competition markets review, a weddings law reform and a consultation on the control of 1,4‑Butanediol. Across 452 candidates, the title rule kept 115 and rejected all of those.
What that deliberately leaves out is agri‑food market regulation — feed product authorisations, egg marketing standards, meat guidance, fisheries management plans. Catching those would mean putting feed, egg, meat and fisheries on the subject list, which would pull in food safety and trade wholesale. If that is what you are after, search GOV.UK directly.
Which nations this covers
UK government departments and their agencies only. The devolved consultation platforms publish no machine-readable list: the Scottish and Northern Irish sites run software that answers nothing at the documented addresses, and the Welsh one returns a web page whatever is asked of it. Reading them would mean three separate scrapers, each breaking at the next redesign, so this page does not claim to cover them. Many Defra consultations apply to England and Wales together, and each one says on GOV.UK which nations it covers.
Go direct for the rest: Scottish Government · Welsh Government · Northern Ireland.
What this page does not do
It does not say which consultations deserve a response, suggest what to write, or collect anything. It reports that a consultation exists, who is running it and when it closes, and links to the government’s own page.
Source: the GOV.UK Search API, free and keyless. Bills are on the bills page, recorded votes on the divisions page and written answers on the written answers page. Method last reviewed 23 August 2026; each consultation above carries its own dates.