Background to Bill
The Bill was first published in draft form in July 2004 when it was scrutinised by the environment, food and rural affairs select committee. Many of the committee's recommendations have been incorporated into the Bill.
The Bill aims to simplify animal welfare controls for enforcers and animal keepers by bringing together numerous pieces of dated legislation.
Identified as the most significant animal welfare legislation for nearly a century, the Bill contains wide-ranging reforms, including extending protection measures beyond farmed animals, to all vertebrate animals.
In addition to increased penalties for animal cruelty, the Bill seeks to introduce a ban on mutilations of animals, with specific, doubtless controversial, exemptions.
A number of preventative measures will be put in place, such as placing a duty of care on those responsible for animals.
Summation of Responses
ADI
**NEWLY ADDED**
STATEMENT FROM ANIMAL DEFENDERS INTERNATIONAL: Veracity of MORI Opinion Poll
Welcomes the Bill, but has strong concerns over a number of key omissions in the legislation.
ADI objects to the exclusion of cephalopods (eg octopuses), asserting that this is inconsistent with both the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, and legislation abroad.
Provisions to protect performing animals from beatings and violence are insufficient, and serve only to legitimise the suffering of animals used for entertainment.
ADI maintains that travelling circuses are, by their very nature, unable to provide the space, environmental enrichment, companionship, and diet animals require.
IFAW
Welcomes the Bill, stressing the need for a modern framework for the implementation of effective and enforceable legislation and regulations on animal welfare.
IFAW is however disappointed by the lack of measures included in the Bill to phase out the keeping of primates as pets in the UK.
IFAW also calls for statutory codes of practice to ensure that the trade in live animals on the Internet is only permitted when the welfare requirements of the animals in question are being provided for.
IFAW also supports the early introduction of a licensing system for all animal sanctuaries.
NOAH
Welcomes the Bill, stressing the need for legislation to modernise outdated controls governing the treatment of animals.
NOAH supports the developments made under the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy, especially the promotion of preventative animal medicine.
(NOAH will be hosting an event to highlight the relationship between companion animals and people, chaired by Eric Martlew MP, on May 3 2006.)
Stakeholder Positions in Full:
ADI
IFAW
NOAH
