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Welsh charity calls for cat welfare to remain on Senedd agenda

23 Sep 2026 3 minute read

Huw Irranca-Davies with the Wales Cat Centre team. Credit: Cats Protection

Nation.Cymru Staff

A Welsh animal charity is calling for cat welfare to remain on the political agenda as Members of the Senedd return from recess following a series of visits to a rehoming centre over the summer.

MS for Afan Ogwr Rhondda, Huw Irranca-Davies, started the summer of visits in June when he was joined by Mayor of Bridgend, Cllr Heidi Bennett, at the Wales Cat Centre in Bridgend for their annual open day.

The day raised over £2000 with its Country and Western theme, with Huw and Heidi touring the centre, meeting cats awaiting rehoming, and learning more about the policy and advocacy work of Cats Protection.

George Moore, Cats Protection Advocacy and Government Relations Officer for Wales, said: “It’s been brilliant to welcome a steady stream of politicians to our Wales Cat Centre who we hope will help us keep cats on the agenda in the Senedd as we move into Autumn.

Wales Cat Centre manager Susan Ben-Saud with Huw Irranca-Davies holding cat Calista. Credit: Cats Protection

“The topics we’ve been discussing have included our call to the Welsh Government to mandate microchipping in Wales, to regulate animal welfare establishments, and to introduce legislation allowing tenants the legal right to request a pet.”

Vikki Howells MS, who holds the Welsh Labour portfolio that includes animal welfare, was next to meet with Cats Protection.

During the meeting with Vikki, the Cats Protection team shared information about the importance of regulating cat breeding in Wales.

The charity highlighted that, unlike dog breeding, cat breeding remains unregulated in Wales. Cats Protection is calling on the Welsh Government to regulate cat breeding as a licensable activity to give cats in Wales their best life.

The Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr MS is a long-standing campaigner for improvements to animal welfare rules in Wales, and was subsequently able to raise some of the vital issues via written question.

The summer concluded with visits to the cat centre from MS Sarah Cooper-Lesadd, who has now joined Plaid Cymru, and Reform UK MS Francesca O’Brien.

Sarah Cooper-Lesadd with Kleo at Wales Cat Centre. Credit: Cats Protection

George added: “As Sarah is local to the centre, representing Pen-y-Bont Bro Morgannwg, it was a great opportunity to highlight the many ways the centre supports the local community.

“We spoke to Sarah about the importance of responsible pet ownership, and Sarah left the visit with a good understanding of ways to improve the lives of cats in the constituency through her role as the local Member of the Senedd.

“With Francesca, who is Spokesperson for Housing and Local Government, the discussion around enabling renters to legally request a cat was high on the agenda and we are hopeful that before long Wales will follow England and cats will no longer be unnecessarily separated from their owners because a landlord forbids pets.”

To find out more about the Cats Protection Wales Cat Centre, visit their site here. To find out more about the Cats Protection advocacy work in Wales visit their campaign page here.

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