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Pets and Animals in British Life

A nation of dog-walkers and cat-lovers, and the laws that protect animals.

Britain is sometimes called "a nation of animal lovers". About a quarter of UK households own a dog and a similar share own a cat. Owners are required by law to look after their pets — providing food, water, shelter, exercise and veterinary care — under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. Cruelty to animals is a criminal offence. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) was founded in 1824 and was the world's first such organisation.

Further reading: an editorial guide on this topic opens in a new window for additional context.

Wildlife is protected by a range of laws and by charities such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Wildlife Trusts and the National Trust. Several species — including red squirrels, otters and many birds of prey — are legally protected.

You may be asked which charity protects birds (the RSPB), or what the RSPCA does.

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