English: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm really pleased that you tabled this topic, Bethan, for your short debate today. As you say, you did raise it with me in an oral question back in October and, just last week, I answered a written question that was submitted by Paul Davies, who is in the Chamber. I said to both of you that it wasn't something that I'd ever considered, but, since that time, I have asked officials to look at it, and I'll say a bit more about the sort of advice and discussions that we're having. Because I'd never thought about it previously from an animal health and welfare perspective, but, listening to Bethan talking about the levels of animal cruelty, really, it's a salutary lesson. I think the way we treat our animals really says a lot about the sort of society we are. So, it's very sad to hear those cases that you talked about at the beginning of your debate. I absolutely also understand the comments that Bethan made about how animal abusers are often connected to other forms of abuse. Unfortunately, there are too many examples where abuse was carried out on an animal and then followed up with abuse on another family member or another individual. I actually had a case in my own advice surgery of a woman who would not leave the perpetrator of domestic abuse because of her dog. So, it's absolutely something that we should be very aware of. I'm also aware of the RSPCA's action on its pet retreat and, equally, I'm aware of the wide concerns that I know have been expressed right across the UK on this issue, not just Wales, by a number of organisations. It is a very complex issue - you're right, we do have the competence, and I will continue to give very serious consideration to the whole topic and in connection, particularly, with the responsible ownership of an animal. So, the Welsh Government commissioned a review on responsible dog ownership, and many of the outcomes are applicable across all animal ownership. I also think I need to consider this topic with my Cabinet colleagues, because the potential scope of these issues - whilst you might think they just initially fall into my portfolio, I think there are implications outside my portfolio. Any such system, I think, should have a national approach for it to be effective and comprehensive, and it's again something that I would like to discuss with ministerial colleagues from across the UK. There have been previous discussions in the UK Government public protection unit, which is responsible for the Disclosure and Barring Service, which was formerly the Criminal Records Bureau, about using existing systems, because I think we need to make sure that we use any existing databases now in a much more improved way, through better connectivity and information sharing. So, again, I've asked officials to pursue enquiries with the appropriate UK Government department now. There are also questions that I think we would need to ask if we were developing such a policy: data protection, whether having such an identification process is a good idea; is it practicable and what would a register achieve by way of animal welfare that the current arrangements don't achieve? You mentioned, Bethan, police forces and that it would be useful for them. I think local authorities also, and there are probably other aspects of the public sector. In Wales, we believe that prevention is better than cure. That's the reason why we place such emphasis on animal welfare and the importance of responsible ownership and the role of veterinary practitioners. I'm meeting with the British Veterinary Association next month, and I'm going to discuss this topic with them, and their comprehensive guidance for veterinary teams regarding 'Recognising abuse in animals and humans', which they published last January. So, we're going to continue to develop our thinking on the matters that have been raised by Bethan today. We'll do that as we make progress on our work on responsible animal ownership also. We do expect the highest standards of animal welfare for all protected animals to be in place here in Wales. We've got a duty of care. That's embedded in the Animal Welfare Act, which was commenced nearly 10 years ago. But I think that the topic that you've raised again today, Bethan, does need further serious consideration. I'd be very happy to work with you on it. Thank you very much.
Welsh: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Rwy'n falch iawn eich bod wedi cyflwyno'r pwnc hwn, Bethan, ar gyfer eich dadl fer heddiw. Fel y dywedwch, fe wnaethoch ei ddwyn i fy sylw mewn cwestiwn llafar yn ôl ym mis Hydref a'r wythnos diwethaf, atebais gwestiwn ysgrifenedig a gyflwynwyd gan Paul Davies, sydd yn y Siambr. Dywedais wrth y ddau ohonoch nad oedd yn rhywbeth roeddwn wedi ei ystyried erioed, ond ers hynny, rwyf wedi gofyn i swyddogion edrych ar y mater, a byddaf yn dweud ychydig mwy am y math o gyngor a thrafodaethau rydym yn eu cael. Oherwydd nid oeddwn erioed wedi meddwl am y peth o'r blaen o safbwynt iechyd a lles anifeiliaid, ond wrth wrando ar Bethan yn sôn am lefelau creulondeb i anifeiliaid, mae'n wers lesol mewn gwirionedd. Rwy'n meddwl bod y ffordd rydym yn trin ein hanifeiliaid yn dweud llawer am y math o gymdeithas sydd gennym. Felly, mae'n drist iawn clywed am yr achosion roeddech yn siarad amdanynt ar ddechrau eich dadl. Rwy'n deall yn iawn hefyd y sylwadau a wnaeth Bethan ynglŷn â sut y mae'r rhai sy'n cam-drin anifeiliaid yn aml yn gysylltiedig â mathau eraill o gam-drin. Yn anffodus, ceir gormod o enghreifftiau lle y caiff cam-drin anifail ei ddilyn gan gam-drin aelod arall o'r teulu neu unigolyn arall. Cefais achos yn fy nghymhorthfa fy hun mewn gwirionedd, lle nad oedd gwraig am adael y sawl a oedd yn cyflawni cam-drin domestig oherwydd ei chi. Felly, mae'n bendant yn rhywbeth y dylem fod yn ymwybodol iawn ohono. Rwyf hefyd yn ymwybodol o waith yr RSPCA ar eu lloches anifeiliaid anwes ac yn yr un modd, rwy'n ymwybodol o'r pryderon eang y gwn eu bod wedi'u mynegi ar draws y DU ar y mater hwn, nid Cymru yn unig, gan nifer o sefydliadau. Mae'n fater cymhleth iawn - rydych yn iawn, mae gennym y cymhwysedd a byddaf yn parhau i roi ystyriaeth ddifrifol iawn i'r holl bwnc ac yn arbennig mewn perthynas â pherchnogaeth gyfrifol ar anifeiliaid. Felly, comisiynodd Llywodraeth Cymru adolygiad ar berchnogaeth gyfrifol ar gŵn, ac mae llawer o'r canlyniadau'n berthnasol ar draws yr holl fathau o berchnogaeth ar anifeiliaid. Credaf hefyd fod angen i mi ystyried y pwnc hwn gyda fy nghyd-Aelodau yn y Cabinet, oherwydd cwmpas posibl y materion hyn - er y byddech yn meddwl i gychwyn efallai eu bod yn perthyn i fy mhortffolio, rwy'n meddwl bod yna oblygiadau y tu allan i fy mhortffolio. Rwy'n meddwl y dylai fod dull cenedlaethol o weithredu unrhyw system o'r fath er mwyn iddi fod yn effeithiol ac yn gynhwysfawr, ac unwaith eto mae'n rhywbeth y buaswn yn hoffi ei drafod gyda chyd-Weinidogion o bob rhan o'r DU. Cafwyd trafodaethau blaenorol yn uned diogelu'r cyhoedd Llywodraeth y DU, sy'n gyfrifol am y Gwasanaeth Datgelu a Gwahardd, sef y Swyddfa Cofnodion Troseddol yn flaenorol, ynglŷn â defnyddio systemau presennol, gan fy mod yn credu bod angen i ni wneud yn siŵr ein bod yn defnyddio unrhyw gronfeydd data sy'n bodoli eisoes mewn ffordd lawer gwell bellach, drwy well cysylltedd a rhannu gwybodaeth. Felly, unwaith eto, rwyf wedi gofyn i swyddogion wneud ymholiadau yn yr adran briodol yn Llywodraeth y DU yn awr. Mae yna gwestiynau hefyd rwy'n meddwl y byddai'n rhaid i ni eu gofyn pe baem yn datblygu polisi o'r fath: diogelu data, a fyddai cael proses adnabod o'r fath yn syniad da; a yw'n ymarferol a beth fyddai cofrestr yn ei gyflawni o ran lles anifeiliaid nad yw'r trefniadau presennol yn ei gyflawni? Fe sonioch chi, Bethan, am heddluoedd ac y byddai'n ddefnyddiol iddynt hwy. I'r awdurdodau lleol hefyd rwy'n credu, ac i agweddau eraill ar y sector cyhoeddus mae'n debyg. Yng Nghymru, rydym yn credu bod atal yn well na gwella. Dyna'r rheswm pam rydym yn rhoi cymaint o bwyslais ar les anifeiliaid a phwysigrwydd perchnogaeth gyfrifol a rôl milfeddygon. Rwy'n cyfarfod â Chymdeithas Milfeddygon Prydain y mis nesaf, a byddaf yn trafod y mater hwn gyda hwy, a'u canllawiau cynhwysfawr ar gyfer timau milfeddygol ar adnabod cam-drin mewn anifeiliaid a phobl a gyhoeddwyd ganddynt fis Ionawr diwethaf. Felly, rydym yn mynd i barhau i ddatblygu ein syniadau ar y materion a nododd Bethan heddiw. Byddwn yn gwneud hynny wrth i ni wneud cynnydd ar ein gwaith ar berchnogaeth gyfrifol ar anifeiliaid hefyd. Rydym yn disgwyl i'r safonau uchaf o ran lles anifeiliaid fod ar waith ar gyfer pob anifail a warchodir yma yng Nghymru. Mae gennym ddyletswydd gofal. Mae wedi'i gwreiddio yn y Ddeddf Lles Anifeiliaid, a gychwynwyd bron i 10 mlynedd yn ôl. Ond rwy'n credu bod y pwnc rydych wedi tynnu sylw ato eto heddiw, Bethan, angen ei ystyried o ddifrif eto. Byddwn yn hapus iawn i weithio ar hynny gyda chi. Diolch yn fawr iawn.