A bill to ban live animal exports from the UK has passed its final stage in Parliament and will soon become law. The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill will end the export of cows, sheep, and pigs for fattening or slaughter. This legislation follows a 2020 government consultation in which 87 percent of respondents supported banning live exports.

Philip Lymbery, CEO of Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), which has long campaigned for the ban, celebrated the victory, saying, "This is a huge day to celebrate and one that has been long-awaited. Farmed animals have endured these senseless and arduous exports to the continent for decades – but no longer! I am phenomenally proud of our supporters whose dedication and persistence have helped secure this hard-fought victory."

Previously, 1.6 million animals were exported annually from the UK, enduring what campaigners described as "horrific journeys" lasting many hours. Sonul Badiani-Hamment, Country Director of FOUR PAWS UK, highlighted the suffering of these animals, who were "crammed" onto trucks with little space to sit, stand, or lie down. They experienced injuries, mental exhaustion, distress, hunger, and dehydration, often without food and water. Extreme temperatures exacerbated their physical and psychological stress, with young male calves unwanted by the dairy industry particularly affected. These journeys could last up to 96 hours, ending in slaughter methods that would be illegal in the UK.

Live animal exports have been on hold since December 2020, but campaigners feared they could resume anytime. With the bill passing its third and final reading, that risk has been eliminated. Yvonne Birchall, from Kent Action Against Live Exports (KAALE), expressed her relief, stating, "For 29 years, KAALE and their supporters have demonstrated outside UK ports as live export shipments were loaded onto vessels bound for Europe. Our members are the last friendly faces millions of animals saw before being exported. We are delighted that the law will finally ban this cruel trade, and the people of Kent will no longer need to stand up in opposition to it."

CIWF noted that the new legislation reflects growing global momentum to end live exports. In 2023, a Brazilian court banned live cattle exports, and New Zealand implemented a ban on all live exports by sea for cattle, sheep, deer, and goats. The Australian government recently announced plans to end live sheep exports by 2028. However, this ban has not yet become law and faces strong opposition from the farming sector and right-wing politicians.

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