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Animal Welfare Proposals Will Take New Zealand Backwards
MEDIA RELEASE
26 September 2012
Animal Welfare Proposals Will Take New Zealand Backwards
Public
submissions for the Animal Welfare Act review will close
this week on 28 September and New Zealanders have come out
in strong support for the nation to be a world leader in
animal welfare, says animal advocacy group SAFE.
However, the organisation is concerned that Government proposals do not feature many genuine improvements, and some suggested changes threaten to legalise the ongoing suffering of millions of animals.
The Ministry for Primary Industries, which is conducting the review, has admitted the review and strategy development is “not aiming to lift animal welfare standards from their current setting”.
“The Ministry appears to be merely ticking boxes and their effort at best could be described as unambitious; at worst, harmful,” says SAFE Executive director Hans Kriek. “For example, the proposals to allow practices that breach welfare standards to be carried out indefinitely and for ‘economic factors’ to be given primary consideration will lead to the continuation of all kinds of cruel factory farming practices,” says Mr Kriek.
Unpopular practices such as battery cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for pigs are set to continue to be allowed under the new Act. SAFE believes that the increasing use of factory farming practices, such as indoor cubicle farming for dairy cows and colony cages for egg production, not only makes a mockery of our animal welfare legislation but also damages our international reputation.
“Public concern for animal welfare continues to grow, as Kiwis have no tolerance of animal cruelty. New Zealand has a huge opportunity to improve the lives of animals – but we could once again miss the boat,” says Mr Kriek.
SAFE urges the Government to listen to the thousands of people that have made submissions for better animal welfare standards and ensure that any changes to the Animal Welfare Act will bring meaningful improvements to the lives of animals in New Zealand.
ends
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