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Animal Welfare Strategy – Beyond Legislation

Animal Welfare Strategy – Beyond Legislation. Martin Blake Chief Veterinary Officer Backweston 13 September 2018. To talk about…. • Acknowledgements • Reflections on the development of an Animal Welfare Strategy.

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Animal Welfare Strategy – Beyond Legislation

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  1. Animal Welfare Strategy – Beyond Legislation • Martin Blake • Chief Veterinary Officer • Backweston 13 September 2018

  2. To talk about… • Acknowledgements• Reflections on the development of an Animal Welfare Strategy

  3. •Significant global issue – significant Irish issue - Much and increasing public discourse/debate – facilitated especially through social media - Increasing research outcomes- Broadening theories regarding animal welfare - Robust legislative framework- Increased cohesion with regard to regulation, including enforcement- International initiatives – including IE partnering with the OIE.• Sentient beings - To feel, perceive, experience Why a Strategy – why now?

  4. • Different perspectives• Good and bad - however it is not binary – part of a continuum• In developing our strategy – important to have clarity with regard to what we mean• In our reflections we have referred to the OIE as a good starting point to assist in developing clarity around a definition and measurement What is meant by ‘animal welfare’?

  5. • How an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. • It relates to the state of an animal• An animal is in a good state of welfare if (as indicated be scientific evidence) it is healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe and able to express innate behaviour, and is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear and distress.• Good animal welfare requires disease prevention and veterinary treatment, appropriate shelter, management, nutrition, humane handling and humane slaughter/killing OIE Reflections – Animal Welfare

  6. • Use of animals in agriculture, science and for companionship, recreation and entertainment makes a major contribution to wellbeing of people• There is a critical relationship between animal health and animal welfare• The ‘5 Freedoms’ provide valuable guidance• The ‘3 Rs’ (reduction, refinement and replacement) provide valuable guidance in use of animals in research• Scientific assessment of animal welfare involves diverse elements which need to be considered together• Use of animals carry ethical responsibility• Improved animal welfare can often improve productivity and food safety• Outcomes based on performance criteria, rather than identical systems based on design criteria, should be the basis for comparison of welfare standards Further OIE Reflections – Animal Welfare

  7. Perspectives on Animal Welfare 5 Freedoms – ‘timeless principles’ From hunger or thirst From discomfort From pain, injury and disease To express normal patterns of behaviour From fear and distress5 Domains Nutrition EnvironmentHealth Behaviour Mental stateA Life Worth Living Various perspectives as above over lifetime of an animal – balancing positives and negativesOne Welfare – • Human/animal relationships

  8. Possible Vision • Ireland becomes increasingly recognised as a country that promotes and assures the welfare of all animals

  9. Strategic objectives • • Supporting Excellence in Standards • • Engaged at the centre of international dialogue • • The norm being that everyone dealing with animals is trained and educated to an appropriate level • • Ireland better recognised for its high animal welfare standards • • Improved animal welfare outcomes benefitting the economics of farming

  10. Framework to advance – over-arching strategic principles • 1. Roles and responsibilities • A. Animal owners/keepers • B. Others (I count at least 18 other categories) • 2. Working in Partnership • 3. Focus on scientific and evidence-based research and advice • 4. Improved measurements • 5. Good regulation including robust, fair and sensitive enforcement

  11. Actions and next steps • • To develop a series of actions that will contribute to the strategic outcomes decided on. • • A process of oversight to ensure delivery

  12. Next stage in the process • Open consultation – 6 weeks – closing date 31/10/18 • Comments/suggestions/submissions to awconferencesubmissions@agriculture.gov.ie • or by mail to • Animal Welfare Consultation • Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine • Kildare Street • Dublin 2

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