A new furry friend was welcomed to Parliament by local MP, Toby Perkins, as he proudly showed his support for the animal rescue sector at an event hosted by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.

The event celebrated the vital role rescues play in caring for animals and Battersea’s priorities for animal welfare in the new Parliament, and Toby was delighted to meet some of Battersea’s current and former rescue dogs.

Toby Perkins said, “Animal Rescues do amazing work, saving vulnerable cats and dogs and helping rehome them with loving families, and Battersea is a brilliant at representing the sector and showing how important they are to animal welfare.

They are also a fantastic advocate for these animals and for putting pressure on Government to take the action needed to tackle animal cruelty and neglect.”

Toby, who is a proud cat-owner, spoke to the organisers of the event about the need for stronger animal welfare laws to ensure the safeguarding of dogs & cats and Battersea’s campaign to promote pet friendly housing.

Toby added, “Animal welfare is of the utmost importance to me, and I know from the thousands of emails and letters I receive, that it is also one of the most important issues to my constituents.

There’s lots we can do in Parliament to tackle issues encountered by rescues, from cracking down on puppy smuggling, eradicating mutilations and supporting more people to find pet friendly properties, and I’m delighted to show my support on these issues and for Battersea’s work.”