Council agrees Animal Welfare Inspectors deal with neighbouring authority

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

A local authority has appointed animal welfare officers from a neighbouring council to take over its responsibilities, due to a lack of experienced staff.

Torfaen Borough Council has appointed Monmouthshire officers to act as its animal welfare inspectors as its own public protection team aren’t trained or with sufficient experience of the law.

The urgent decision is to come into force immediately, meaning there is no opportunity for backbench councillors to challenge it, as Torfaen council has said without sufficient skills and expertise to investigate and take action “there may be unnecessary prolonged suffering to animals within the borough”.

Funding

There are no financial implications as Monmouthshire is funded by the Welsh Government as the host council for the Animal Licensing Wales team to work across the country.

Animal health and welfare forms part of the Welsh Government’s Programme for Government and its Animal Licensing Wales project, which initially focused on dog breeding and enforcement, is evolving to reflect its wider animal welfare plan.

The Monmouthshire Animal Licensing Wales team is funded to the end of March 2025, and will work for Torfaen until that date.

The team is an additional resource for councils across Wales to call upon to provide advice, assistance and support to undertake inspections and investigations relating to animal welfare.

The officers are trained and experienced to undertake dog welfare inspections.