THE Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Michelle McIlveen, recently unveiled an action plan aimed at improving animal welfare enforcement and at protecting animals from neglect and abuse in the region.

The plan sets out how 68 recommendations, made in the Review of the Implementation of the Welfare of Animals Act (NI) 2011, will be brought in. It will enable the animal welfare enforcement bodies to work together to ensure that the recommendations are fully implemented.