Heading to the polls in May? Find out which political parties are prioritising animal welfare and veterinary workforce issues

We’ve created two toolkits to help voters in Wales and Scotland identify which political parties are prioritising animal welfare and veterinary workforce issues in next month’s Senedd and Holyrood elections.

The toolkits show how the manifestos of the major parties align with BVA’s campaigns on priority issues.  

BVA’s Manifesto for Scotland’s animals, vets, and public health 2026-2031 calls on candidates for Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) to ensure veterinary education is properly funded and supported by removing the financial barriers for universities and students. This would support homegrown talent, particularly from rural areas, enabling more people to enter the profession. It also incudes tighter restrictions on the use and sale of fireworks and a ban on electric shock collars for training cats and dogs.

In Wales, data from our latest Voice of the Profession survey shows that 59% of vets believe a move to ensure the upcoming Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) incentivises and supports good animal health and welfare outcomes should be a priority for the new Welsh Government. This is one of a number of key asks for Senedd candidates outlined in the Manifesto for Wales’ animals, vets, and public health 2026-2031.

You can find more details in our voter toolkit for Scotland and the voter toolkit for Wales.