Animal sentience to be legally recognised and most live export banned, announces UK Government
Non-human animals are to be formally recognised as sentient beings by law, the UK Government has announced, as part of a range of new animal welfare measures including the ending of most forms of live animal export and a ban on the import of hunting trophies.
A landmark ‘animal sentience bill’ will feature among a series of changes to legislation governing animal welfare, concerning mainly farm and companion animals. New protections will also extend to animals overseas via bans on ivory and shark fins and a potential ban on the sale of foie gras as announced in the Queen's Speech. Presently, it is illegal to produce foie gras in the UK, but its import and use as an ingredient in restaurants is still permitted.
A ban on the export of live animals out of the UK is likely to be welcomed by many activists and campaigners who have long held protests at ferry ports such as the Port of Ramsgate in Kent. However, the ban should it be implemented will only extend to animals exported for fattening and slaughter, as first announced back in December last year. At the time, Defra stated that the ban “will not impact on poultry exports or exports for breeding purposes.” The UK exports tens of millions of chicks a year in an industry that was worth £139m in 2018.
“We are a nation of animal lovers and were the first country in the world to pass animal welfare laws,” said environment secretary George Eustice. “Our action plan for animal welfare will deliver on our manifesto commitment to ban the export of live animal exports for slaughter and fattening, prohibit keeping primates as pets, and bring in new laws to tackle puppy smuggling. As an independent nation, we are now able to go further than ever to build on our excellent track record.”
In March, we reported on the worrying trend of ‘lockdown pets’ as people sought to alleviate the boredom of Covid-19 quarantine by taking in companion animals. The resulting ‘puppy boom’ has sparked an increase in ‘pet theft’, something which the Government’s animal welfare action plan will also address through the creation of a new task force.
Other measures aimed at protecting companion animals include the banning of electric shock collars, used for training purposes, and a change in import rules aimed at stamping out puppy smuggling. In Pet trade death trade: Europe’s forgotten victims of trafficking, we revealed how pet smuggling was Europe’s third most common form of international trafficking after weapons and drugs.
Illegal hare coursing and the use of glue traps will also be restricted while farmers have been given assurances that police will receive new powers to protect their animals from roaming dogs. However, farrowing crates - used to restrict the movement of mother pigs in breeding facilities - and the use of poultry cages for laying hens, will not be banned but merely ‘reviewed’ with incentives for farmers to improve animal welfare granted via subsidies. In short, farmers will be rewarded for providing greater animal welfare, rather than it being expected by law.
Speaking to the Guardian, James West, senior policy manager at Compassion in World Farming, said: “We have long been calling for UK legislation that recognises animals as sentient beings and for sentience to be given due regard when formulating and implementing policy. We are also delighted the Government has confirmed it will legislate for a long-overdue ban on live exports for slaughter and fattening. We have been campaigning for this for decades: it is high time this cruel and unnecessary trade is finally brought to an end.”
Shark fin import and export will also be outlawed, putting an end to shark fin soup on UK menus. The central UK Government has also signalled plans to work with the devolved administrations to ban ads promoting "unacceptable" low-welfare animal practices overseas including elephant rides.
Chris Sherwood, chief executive of the RSPCA, urged the Government to “put animal welfare at the heart of policymaking and make these announcements just the beginning of an evolving, holistic animal health and welfare strategy”. However, while the Government has repeated its promise to include animal welfare in future trade agreements, there are no plans to guarantee this by law.
“Delivering on the plan will require understanding and real commitment from across Whitehall,” said Claire Bass, executive director of Humane Society International/UK. “Respect for animal welfare is not only the right thing to do for animals, it will also play a critical role in tackling global environmental and public health challenges such as climate change, antibiotic resistance, and pandemic prevention.”
The recognition of animal sentience by law in the UK is undoubtedly a landmark move, but how it will improve the lives of many animals not mentioned in the Government’s announcement remains to be seen. Hundreds of millions of farmed animals will continue to be raised on farms and exploited for their flesh, milk, eggs and other byproducts, even though their capacity to feel pain and suffer will be legally recognised. For the countless pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, turkeys, fish and other farmed animals, at best this is a step along the road to achieving the greatest protection of their rights possible - the abolishment of animal agriculture.
Andrew Gough is Media and Investigations Manager for Surge.
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