Chris Philp says Mary-Ann Stephenson is dismissing ‘legitimate concerns about mass migration’
Animal rights groups are mostly positive about the animal welfare strategy being published today. (See 9.26am and 9.36am.) Here are some of their comments.
About the proposals for farm animals
The government’s commitment to phase out the use of farrowing crates for mother pigs is extremely welcome. We are concerned that this and other measures are being held hostage by ongoing trade negotiations with the EU because if the UK doesn’t clearly protect our right to set our own animal welfare standards, we will be unable to stop cruel products, like pork from caged pigs, from coming into our country, which could undermine the viability of a crate ban for British farmers. We need the government to ensure that high animal welfare standards are a foundation of our trade policy, not a casualty of it.
Overall this a very promising strategy – but the mooted bans on cages need to be implemented before we can truly celebrate. However, the direction of travel for farmed animals suggests the government understands the need to reform factory farming.
But some of the rhetoric in the press, that this strategy is a war on farmers, needs massive pushback. Making British farming more compassionate makes the lives of animals and farmers better, as workers won’t need to collect as many dead animals or see so much suffering.
We welcome the inclusion of a ban on cages for laying hens and on crates for mother pigs in the government’s animal welfare strategy, being published today. These measures address some of the cruellest elements of UK factory farming. But they do not go far enough.
Most farmed animals are raised in environments that cause needless suffering and create huge climate, environmental and human health costs. Animal welfare is a strong indicator of the harms a system does to people and planet – what is bad for one is bad for the other.
From Owen Sharp, chief executive of the Dogs Trust
We welcome the government’s new animal welfare strategy, particularly its commitment to delivering the measures set out in the recently passed animal welfare bill, which will prevent the import of underage puppies, heavily pregnant dogs and dogs with mutilations. We are also pleased that the government plans to consult on the regulation of rehoming centres. We have seen too many cases of neglect and fatalities involving dogs at the hands of unregulated individuals, and the public strongly supports mandatory licensing and regular inspections.
It is also positive that the government intends to consult on banning the use of cruel and unnecessary electric shock collars. However, we are disappointed that the proposals stop short of committing to a full ban on the sale of shock collars and other aversive devices.
There is much to welcome in the animal welfare strategy, but it must have real teeth to deliver for animals. Ministers must set clear timescales to phase out crates and cages, properly support farmers through the transition and not allow imports that don’t meet UK standards.
I welcome the action on snares, hunting and puppy farming. Puppy legislation must end breeding for extreme, unhealthy traits in dogs. The strategy could go further for animals, particularly by ending greyhound racing, as the Welsh government is doing.
