In a heartening move for animal lovers everywhere, zoos across the UK are set to roll out major animal welfare reforms aimed at giving their residents a better quality of life.

New government standards—hailed as the most ambitious in a generation—will ensure larger and more natural enclosures, ban outdated practices like tethering birds of prey for long periods, and end visitor interactions with sensitive marine animals like rays and octopuses. It’s the first significant update to zoo welfare guidelines in over a decade, and it's long overdue.

Chester Zoo, one of the UK’s most prominent conservation centres, is already preparing to expand its elephant facilities to meet the new expectations. CEO Jamie Christon welcomed the changes, calling the new 196-page rulebook “transformational” for animals in captivity.

While zoos and aquariums have two years to implement the changes, the direction is clear: entertainment can no longer come at the expense of animal dignity and comfort. This policy shift reflects a growing global movement that sees animals as sentient beings deserving of thoughtful care—not just exhibits.

For once, the cages are getting bigger, not smaller—and that’s what’s right with the world.