English: I'd like to thank my colleague Sam Kurtz for bringing this debate to the Chamber; it's very important for all the hard work he does for animals outside of this Chamber as well. Now, for years, I've always wanted to have a pet cat or dog. I remember at the age of nine going on a religious pilgrimage with my mother, who said to me in the most holy place considered to many on earth, 'Natasha, during this pilgrimage, whatever you ask God for, you will get it.' I stood there, all of nine years old, looked up at the sky and said, 'God, I want a cat.' Spoiler alert: I did not get the cat. But there have been at least 10 opportunities following where I could have had one. The reason why I never actually got a cat or dog was simply because I was told by my parents, 'Natasha, a pet is for life, it's not just going to be for your birthday or for Christmas.' Growing up, like many of you who have children or those Members who are perhaps not in the Chamber with us today, like you, my parents both worked full time, and they were very much of the belief that if we were not at home, and I was at school at the time, it would cause distress to the animal being left at home alone for many hours in the day, and that was not something that any of us could have lived with. I'm currently trying very hard right now to convince my mother that we need a dog, and have almost succeeded, so I'll keep you posted as to whether that happens or not. For years, I've held tremendous respect for the charities and sanctuaries all across Wales and all across the United Kingdom, and I truly, from every ounce of my soul, commend all of the staff who work tirelessly to protect animals of all shapes and sizes and from all backgrounds. Last Thursday, I had the greatest pleasure of visiting RSPCA's Newport animal centre. I saw some animals who had really suffered a lot due to negligence and sheer violence at the hands of humans, and my heart truly bled for them. They may not have been able to speak up for themselves, but it's key that every single one of us as politicians speak up for them, not just members of the public, but for animals as well. Like its other centres, the Newport animal centre complies with rigorous welfare standards, and the RSPCA has long called for a wider regulatory framework for animal welfare in Wales. This includes the licensing of sanctuaries, rehoming centres and also other establishments. We are holding this debate today to regulate these establishments to offer legal protection to the animals inside Wales's estimated 90 sanctuaries. Unlike other establishments, such as riding schools, dog breeders and cat boarders, sanctuaries and rescues are not currently subject to regulations. Essentially, as my colleague Gareth Davies said, this means that anyone can set one up, regardless of whether they have the skills or resources needed to care for animals, which is really worrying for someone like myself. I wish to put on record from the outset that I recognise the invaluable work that sanctuaries often do to rehabilitate and rehome animals. However, it is vital that basic training is provided, and standards for all animal centres are set in stone to ensure that the welfare of animals in their care is of a decent level and standard. But the lack of safeguards that exist to protect the welfare of animals in these establishments, which can be set up with no inspection or legal requirement for strong welfare standards and contingency plans, is simply not acceptable and cannot be sustainable. Well-meaning people can quickly find themselves out of their depth, highlighted by the sad fact that some sanctuary failures have occurred in Wales in the past year. In the last decade, the RSPCA have been forced to undertake over 10 prosecutions due to inadequate care in sanctuaries. Many of the animals who find themselves in need of sanctuary or rescue require specialist care and an acute understanding of their complex needs after having gone through their traumatic circumstances. As well as having staff that meet these criteria, expertise is needed to ensure that these establishments are financially sound and tick all of the boxes with regard to ensuring the health and safety of the animals within them. Therefore, Deputy Presiding Officer, solid governance arrangements and having contingency plans for when things go wrong are vital for the running of a successful sanctuary. I believe wholeheartedly that we need to regulate sanctuaries to plug the current gap, ensuring that the high standards of animal welfare are compulsory rather than voluntary. Thank you.
Welsh: Hoffwn ddiolch i fy nghyd-Aelod, Sam Kurtz, am ddod â'r ddadl hon i'r Siambr; mae'n bwysig iawn i'r holl waith caled y mae'n ei wneud dros anifeiliaid y tu allan i'r Siambr hon hefyd. Nawr, ers blynyddoedd, rwyf bob amser wedi bod eisiau cael cath neu gi anwes. Cofiaf fynd ar bererindod grefyddol yn naw oed gyda fy mam, a ddywedodd wrthyf yn y lle mae nifer o bobl yn ei ystyried yn fwyaf sanctaidd ar y ddaear, 'Natasha, yn ystod y bererindod hon, beth bynnag y gofynni di i Dduw amdano, fe'i cei.' Sefais yno, yn naw mlwydd oed, edrych i fyny ar yr awyr a dweud, 'Dduw, rwyf eisiau cath.' Er gwybodaeth, ni chefais mo'r gath. Ond mae o leiaf 10 cyfle wedi bod ers hynny lle gallwn fod wedi cael un. Y rheswm pam na chefais gath neu gi erioed oedd oherwydd bod fy rhieni wedi dweud wrthyf, 'Natasha, mae anifail anwes gennyt am oes, nid dros dy ben-blwydd neu'r Nadolig yn unig.' Wrth dyfu i fyny, fel llawer ohonoch sydd â phlant neu'r Aelodau nad ydynt yn y Siambr gyda ni heddiw efallai, fel chithau, roedd fy rhieni'n gweithio'n llawn amser, ac roeddent yn credu'n gryf iawn os nad oeddem gartref, a minnau yn yr ysgol ar y pryd, y byddai'n peri gofid i'r anifail gael ei adael gartref ar ei ben ei hun am oriau lawer yn ystod y dydd, ac nid oedd hynny'n rhywbeth y gallai'r un ohonom fod wedi byw gydag ef. Ar hyn o bryd rwy'n ymdrechu'n galed iawn i argyhoeddi fy mam fod angen ci arnom, ac rwyf bron â llwyddo, felly gadawaf ichi wybod a yw hynny'n digwydd ai peidio. Ers blynyddoedd, rwyf wedi bod â pharch mawr at yr elusennau a'r llochesau ledled Cymru a ledled y Deyrnas Unedig, ac o waelod calon, rwy'n cymeradwyo'r holl staff sy'n gweithio'n ddiflino i ddiogelu anifeiliaid o bob math ac o bob cefndir. Ddydd Iau diwethaf, cefais y pleser mwyaf o ymweld â chanolfan anifeiliaid yr RSPCA yng Nghasnewydd. Gwelais anifeiliaid a oedd wedi dioddef llawer oherwydd esgeulustod a thrais dan law pobl, ac roedd fy nghalon yn gwaedu drostynt. Efallai nad oeddent yn gallu siarad drostynt eu hunain, ond mae'n hollbwysig fod pob un ohonom fel gwleidyddion yn siarad drostynt, nid ar ran aelodau o'r cyhoedd yn unig, ond ar ran anifeiliaid hefyd. Fel ei ganolfannau eraill, mae canolfan anifeiliaid Casnewydd yn cydymffurfio â safonau lles trylwyr, ac mae'r RSPCA wedi galw ers tro am fframwaith rheoleiddio ehangach ar gyfer lles anifeiliaid yng Nghymru. Mae hyn yn cynnwys trwyddedu llochesau, canolfannau ailgartrefu a sefydliadau eraill hefyd. Rydym yn cynnal y ddadl hon heddiw i reoleiddio'r sefydliadau hyn er mwyn cynnig diogelwch cyfreithiol i'r anifeiliaid yn y 90 o lochesau yr amcangyfrifir eu bod yn gweithredu yng Nghymru. Yn wahanol i sefydliadau eraill, megis ysgolion marchogaeth, nid yw bridwyr cŵn a lletywyr cathod, llochesau a chanolfannau achub yn ddarostyngedig i reoliadau ar hyn o bryd. Yn y bôn, fel y dywedodd fy nghyd-Aelod, Gareth Davies, golyga hyn y gall unrhyw un sefydlu lleoliad o'r fath, ni waeth a oes ganddynt y sgiliau neu'r adnoddau angenrheidiol i ofalu am anifeiliaid, ac mae hynny'n peri pryder gwirioneddol i rywun fel fi. Hoffwn gofnodi o'r cychwyn fy mod yn cydnabod y gwaith amhrisiadwy y mae llochesau'n aml yn ei wneud i adsefydlu ac ailgartrefu anifeiliaid. Fodd bynnag, mae'n hanfodol darparu hyfforddiant sylfaenol, a sefydlu safonau pendant ar gyfer pob canolfan anifeiliaid i sicrhau bod lles yr anifeiliaid yn eu gofal o ansawdd da. Ond nid yw'r diffyg mesurau i ddiogelu lles anifeiliaid yn y sefydliadau hyn, y gellir eu sefydlu heb unrhyw arolwg na gofyniad cyfreithiol am safonau lles cadarn a chynlluniau wrth gefn, yn dderbyniol ac ni all fod yn gynaliadwy. Gall pobl sydd â bwriadau da sylweddoli'n gyflym na allant ymdopi, a dangosir hynny gan y ffaith drist fod rhai llochesau wedi methu dal ati yng Nghymru yn ystod y flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Yn ystod y degawd diwethaf, gorfodwyd yr RSPCA i fwrw ymlaen â thros 10 erlyniad yn sgil gofal annigonol mewn llochesau. Mae angen gofal arbenigol ar lawer o'r anifeiliaid sydd mewn llochesau neu ganolfannau achub, ynghyd â dealltwriaeth dda o'u hanghenion cymhleth yn sgil eu hamgylchiadau trawmatig. Yn ogystal â chael staff sy'n bodloni'r meini prawf hyn, mae angen arbenigedd i sicrhau bod y sefydliadau'n ariannol gadarn ac yn ticio'r holl flychau ar gyfer sicrhau iechyd a diogelwch yr anifeiliaid o'u mewn. Felly, Ddirprwy Lywydd, mae trefniadau llywodraethu cadarn a chynlluniau wrth gefn pan fydd pethau'n mynd o chwith yn hanfodol ar gyfer rhedeg lloches lwyddiannus. Rwy'n credu'n gryf fod angen inni reoleiddio llochesau i lenwi'r bwlch presennol, gan sicrhau bod safonau uchel ar gyfer lles anifeiliaid yn orfodol yn hytrach na gwirfoddol. Diolch.