Heavy criminal penalties are imposed for the abandoning, neglect or ill treatment of animals under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1985 s 13, s 15. Licences are required for the use of animals in science teaching, research and experimentation [s 16]. For the purposes of the Act, animals means any animal having a backbone except humans or fish [s 3].

Complaints can be made to the Police or the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). The Society will send an inspector to investigate a complaint and will, in many cases, take the appropriate criminal proceedings.