A MOVE to ensure animals will have their feelings enshrined in law should lead to the Welsh Government setting up a special committee, a Senedd Member has said. 

Janet Finch-Saunders, the Conservative member for Aberconwy, said the Labour administration should have a process to consider the feelings of animals following legislation agreed by the UK Government. 

The Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill recognises that animals are sentient beings, able to feel pain and joy, and creates a body to ensure UK ministers take account of their welfare needs when drawing up and implementing policy. 

The Welsh Government said it recognises animals are sentient beings but will determine its own approach. 

Finch-Saunders said a similar committee to the one being set up in Westminster should be established by the Welsh Government: “The UK Government are leading the way in this regard, Welsh Labour seem determined to do different for difference sake rather than take into consideration industry specialists and cross party advice.” 

She called the idea, “compassionate and common sense”, and said it is supported by organisations including the RSPCA. 

The welfare charity has said the bill will mean UK government departments should take animal sentience into account when making policy decisions -  in the same way that is already done for environmental reasons.

Conservative MS Finch-Saunders said as there is no mention of animal sentience in the Welsh Government’s animal welfare plan it “demonstrates a lack of commitment to prioritise welfare”. 

However the Welsh Government defended its approach. 

A spokesman said: “We are proud of what has already been achieved in Wales in improving animal welfare. Our ambition is for all animals in Wales to have a good quality life and we have set out our priorities in our Animal Welfare Plan for Wales 2021-26. 

“We will determine our own direction on sentience, recognising that animals are sentient beings.” 

In March, the UK Government accepted an amendment from backbench Tories, meaning the new animal sentience committee (ASC) will have to respect cultural traditions, religion, and heritage. 

Environment minister Lord Benyon told the upper chamber earlier this month: “This Bill is about the Government policymaking process. It doesn’t change existing law or impose any new restrictions on individuals or businesses. The Government would prefer all animals to be stunned before slaughter, but we respect the rights of Muslims and Jews to eat meat prepared in accordance with their religious beliefs.” 

Labour frontbencher Baroness Hayman of Ullock welcomed the passing of the Bill, saying: “We believe it is an important Bill. It may not be perfect, but we will be very, very pleased to see it on the statute.” 

When the bill was debated in the Lords, a handful of peers raised concerns, with Tory Lord Moylan arguing enshrining animal feelings in law is “anti-human” and warning “we will come to regret” it. 

He noted the measures are part of the agenda of the animal rights movements to achieve “agreement” on three things, adding: “The first is that animals are sentient. The second is that sentience is the sole basis of judging moral conduct. And the third is, therefore, as a consequence of that, that humans and animals are to be treated on the same basis in moral terms. 

“Now, that is a complete upturning of our established view of moral conduct. It is a completely new anthropology. And this Bill therefore is really profoundly anti-human.

“It opens the door to a moral calculus in which people can ask the question, how much chimpanzee suffering is equivalent to a human baby suffering? And that’s why it remains a very bad Bill. It is a Bill that we will come to regret.” 

While Britain was preparing for leaving the European Union and passing legislation to replace EU laws a row broke out in 2017 amid claims the UK Government had denied animals are sentient. It said at the time it would consider its own legislation.