Animal Aid evidence on game bird farms cited in the Senedd

On 30 September, Labour’s Vikki Howells raised concerns in the Senedd about the welfare of birds held on game bird farms and the lack of inspections taking place in Wales. We are grateful to the League Against Cruel Sports for highlighting Animal Aid’s findings in their engagement with Senedd Members and helping to bring these concerns before the Welsh Parliament.

Howells highlighted that no inspections of game bird farms took place in Wales in 2023 or 2024, and since 2025, just four inspections have been carried out, with two identifying breaches of the Code of Practice.

She also drew attention to evidence gathered by Animal Aid during visits to three game bird breeding farms in Wales, where our investigators uncovered deeply troubling welfare issues and regulatory failings.

Responding, Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability Llyr Gruffydd said he understood that a review of the evidence was taking place and was awaiting advice from officials. He acknowledged that game bird welfare was an area that “clearly needs to be addressed”.

Animal Aid investigations expose game bird exploitation. 

For the past 20 years, Animal Aid has investigated game bird breeding farms, exposing the hidden suffering of millions of pheasants and partridges bred for the shooting industry.

Our investigations into game bird breeding farms have documented injured birds, barren cages, inadequate care, biosecurity concerns and many other issues. The findings have contributed to growing scrutiny of game bird welfare in both Wales and England.

Our latest investigations in 2026 have continued to uncover suffering and neglect on game bird farms, showing why scrutiny of this industry remains so important across the UK.

It’s time to end shooting.

While greater scrutiny of the shooting industry is needed across Wales, England and Scotland, Animal Aid believes that breeding and killing birds for entertainment can never be justified.

The shooting industry breeds and rears around 60 million pheasants and partridges every year, only for them to be released and shot for ‘sport’.

The harm extends beyond the birds bred for shooting. Millions of pheasants and partridges are released into the countryside, impacting other birds who are forced to compete for food and habitat. Gamekeepers also trap and kill animals, including corvids such as crows and magpies, who are considered a threat to birds destined for shooting.

The industry’s impacts also extend beyond exploitation. The large-scale breeding, transportation and release of millions of pheasants and partridges each year raises concerns about disease transmission and biosecurity risks, particularly during periods of avian influenza outbreaks.

Animal Aid is calling for a total ban on the breeding, release and killing of pheasants and partridges for the shooting industry. Evidence from our investigations continues to expose the suffering hidden behind the industry. It is time to end the breeding, release and killing of animals for so-called ‘sport’.

Scrutiny of the shooting industry is also growing in England. Defra is currently gathering evidence on the impacts of gamebird breeding, rearing, release and shooting, with responses accepted until 1 November. Animal Aid will be submitting evidence to the review as part of our ongoing campaign to end the breeding and killing of birds for shooting.