Joe Moran Project Leader, Companion Animals 1
EU-level animal welfare advocacy organisation 45 member organisations 24 EU Member States + Switzerland, Norway & Serbia Who are we? 2
Activities connected with the OIE Active Member of ICFAW (International Coalition for Animal Welfare) Provide comments and propose amendments to OIE standards Attend OIE conferences on animal welfare (Cairo 2008, Kuala Lumpur 2012) Attending conferences of the OIE European region Participate in ISO discussions on technical aspects for animal welfare 3
Political Advocacy: Our Assets 35 year advocacy experience in Brussels & Strasbourg Strong network across EU institutions and with European CVOs Secretariat of EP Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals (with over 100 cross-political Members) Seats on European Commission CDGs Multidisciplinary team of policy experts, lobbyists, & communications experts 4
Building a Europe that cares for animals 5
Veterinary Public Health Level Playing Field Animal Health Common Agricultural Policy Environment Trade Consumer Protection Internal Market 6
Cat & Dog Strategy: 2015 2016 1. Traceability of animals 2. Transparency of supply & sale 3. Responsible ownership & care 4. Pet population management 7
Traceability of the animals Problems: Growth of illegal puppy trading since introduction of PETS in 2003 Increased risk of zoonotic disease transmission from pets to other animals and humans Lack of proper I&R drives irresponsible breeding and growth in stray populations 8
Traceability of the animals Our solutions: Mandatory, harmonised, nationally held systems of I&R for dogs (as a minimum) and cats Mandatory, harmonised registration requirements for owners & breeders to register pets across the EU 9
Transparency of supply & sale Problems: People buying pets from poor breeding establishments, which pose a risk to animal and human health Distortion of the market: People increasingly buying pets online without being fully aware of where the animals are coming from Over/irresponsible breeding of dogs and cats drives stray populations 10
Transparency of supply & sale Our solutions: A mandatory registration requirement for breeding and sales establishments within Europe Possible licensing of breeders and sellers via national legislation 11
Responsible ownership & care Problems: Welfare standards vary widely between breeders of cats and dogs across the EU Poor breeding practices have been highlighted as producing puppies which are both physically and behaviourally unsound (Lockwood, R. 1995) Notions such as the one litter myth have led to an overpopulations of animals particularly with cats 12
Responsible ownership & care Our solutions: Dissemination of basic consumer information on buying, rehoming, transporting and breeding pet animals Channel European funds to promote responsible ownership and care of pets via educational programmes where possible 13
Pet population management Problems: Member States have employed unsustainable and ineffective control measures Best practices on dog and cat population management are not being followed ie. OIE guidelines on DPM & ICAM guidance on cat population management 14
Pet population management Our solution: Ensure that MANCPs are used to frame national control measures so that population management guidelines are observed Seek the use of Commission powers to act in respect of wild (including stray and feral) animals for disease control purposes ie. via mandatory use veterinary medicinal products (including vaccines). Guidance is also an option here. 15
Equines 1. Unique policy for unique animals 2. Traceability of equines 3. Transportation and slaughter 4. Responsible ownership 16
Transportation & slaughter farm Problem: animals Transport and Slaughter Regulations are not sufficient and are poorly enforced Threat to randomised controls by new legislation Lack of information to aid better enforcement 17
Transportation & slaughter farm animals Our solution: The establishment of a declaration with relevant consumers outlets to reduce livestock transport duration for animal-derived products in their product range Eurogroup for Animals will be involved, with other stakeholders and animal welfare research institutes like Wageningen (NL) Crpa (IT), Irta (ES), etc. in the DG Sanco funded project on the preparation of a Guide to Good Practice to transport animals. 18
Transportation & slaughter farm animals Our solution: Safeguarding checks on transport and slaughter within the Official Controls proposal Lobbying for COOL for fresh and frozen meat from equines (as a minimum) Publication of a list of slaughterhouses (in each Country) that have banned slaughter without stunning A campaign to push the European Commission to publish rules making compulsory the labelling of meat coming from non-stunned animals 19
Responsible ownership of equines Problem: It is clear that no Member State is entirely free of welfare issues, and no Member State should be complacent about the welfare of their equines. Treatment of working equines is a cause of concern in a number of Member States 20
Responsible ownership of equines Our solution: The dissemination of best practice, information and education on equine ownership Recognition and promotion of equine welfare as a mutual driver of development both within Europe and around the world 21
Questions?. and thank you!