London, UK - A new UK bill that recognizes animals' capacity to feel pain and experience suffering may have important implications for the treatment of animals, as well as the consequences of abusing them.

The bill is set to be announced this Tuesday by Queen Elizabeth II in her traditional speech opening a new session of Parliament.

In the initial 2017 press release on the bill, Michael Gove, who was the Environment Secretary at the time, said, "Animals are sentient beings who feel pain and suffering, so we are writing that principle into law and ensuring that we protect their welfare."

It will stress that animals are aware of their feelings and emotions and can feel pleasure and joy as well as suffering and pain. The British government wants to make the country a pioneer in animal rights, and the law is seen as the centerpiece of its strategy.

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Other bills ban the import of hunting trophies, the export of live animals, and the keeping of primates as pets. The animal welfare strategy also includes the government targeting fur imports with a ban, and introducing the microchipping of domestic cats.

The killing of pigs by gassing with carbon dioxide is also to be ended.

George Eustice, the current Environment Secretary, called the bill an "important signal to the world", claiming that many of the changes, such as the ban on live animal exports, were only made possible by the UK leaving the EU.

Boris Johnson is the first prime minister to enshrine animal welfare in government policy, Eustice said, adding that critics believe Johnson is pushing for animal rights mainly because of the personal views of his fiancée Carrie Symmonds.

Symmonds, a former spokeswoman for Johnson's Conservative Party, is as "passionate" about the issue as Johnson or he is, Eustice said in response.