Britain Unveils New Animal Welfare Legislation
In July, Great Britain’s government unveiled proposed new animal welfare legislation.
The legislation met some initial controversy after it was reported that the new law would extend protections to snails and slugs. Junior environment minister Ben Bradshaw told the BBC, however that such reports were incorrect and that, “It [the new legislation] applies to vertebrates only, not to animals in the wild and only to animals kept by people.”
Among other changes, the law makes it illegal for people under 16 years of age to purchase animals for pets and allows animal welfare officials to take pre-emptive action against owners who are keeping pets in conditions likely to cause suffering even if the animal not actually suffering at the moment of intervention. According to the BBC, the law establishes a “duty of care” that all animal owners must meet, including,
- Providing a suitable environment
- Providing adequate food and water
- Allowing it to exhibit normal behavior
- Allowing it to be housed with/apart from its own or other species
- Allowing appropriate protection from and diagnosis and treatment of pain, injury and disease.
The law would dramatically increase potential penalties for the most severe animal cruelty crimes, such as animal fighting. Potential sentences there would go from a current maximum of six months in jail and a 5,000 pound fine to a maximum 51-weeks in jail and a 20,000 pound fine.
The law would also ban tail docking except where an owner can prove that a working animals’ tail needs to be docked in order to minimize the risk of injury to the animal.
Source:
Overhaul for animal welfare laws. The BBC, July 14, 2004.
Cruelty law to slug snail killers. Fiona Govan, The Age (Australia), July 12, 2004.
Tags: Great Britain