West Dorset MP Chris Loder has given his backing to a new Animal Welfare Bill that will clamp down on ill treatment of animals in the tourist sector abroad.

The Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill recently passed its Committee Stage. It is a Private Members Bill put forward by Angela Richardson MP and supported by Mr Loder.

When passed, this will ban the advertising and sale of tourist experiences abroad, which are conducted in such a way that involves the low welfare treatment of animals.

This could include elephant rides, swimming with dolphins and photoshoots with animals such as big cats.

Mr Loder said: "I was very keen to support this Bill which leads the way in curtailing the abuse and neglect of animals abroad and targeting British tourists to fund their mistreatment."

The local MP, a West Dorset farmer's son, has actively campaigned for improvements in animal welfare laws to increase penalties for those who abuse and mistreat animals, end the live export of livestock for fattening and slaughter, and more recently for a crackdown on issues such as animal worrying.

Mr Loder continued: "I have been campaigning hard on animal welfare issues for years - my own Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Act came into law back in 2021 and I continue working to crack down on other issues like live animal exports and animal worrying, which are also very important for West Dorset."