Supplementary memorandum submitted by
the British Veterinary Association (BVA)
BVA considers pet fairs to be illegal under
current legislation but is aware that a significant number of
one day fairs are held both with and without local authority licences.
We consider that the Animal Welfare Bill should specifically ban
such events and are disturbed that the notes to the Bill imply
that they are to be legalised.
BVA's concern is based on three grounds: first
direct concern for the welfare of the animals offered for sale
at the fairs; secondly concern at the manner of sale of animals
in such conditions; and finally the prospect of an extension of
such sales to other species. Currently most pet fairs offer either
birds, reptiles or small mammals for sale. The latter are a small
minority.
Travel is stressful for any animal not used
to it. Such a process should entail a gradual introduction and
training to the process. Responsible owners of dogs train them
to travel comfortably and the great majority are then accustomed
to doing so. This is less true for cat owners and most owners
will be only too aware of the distress many cats suffer travelling
to and from a veterinary surgery or a boarding establishment.
Animals offered for sale at one day fairs are
extremely unlikely to have been trained to travel. Because of
the sparsity of fairs, it is likely that many animals taken to
them travel considerable distances as their first experience of
travelling. BVA considers that this will inevitably result in
high levels of stress and so have a deleterious effect on the
animal's welfare.
Many animals offered for sale at fairs require
relatively strict environmental conditions to ensure their welfare.
This is particularly important for reptiles which require a temperature
gradient (a warm place and a cooler place) and specific humidity
appropriate for their species. This is a result of the complex
relationship which reptiles have with their environment to maintain
their optimum body temperature and skin condition. BVA considers
that it is extremely unlikely that an adequate environment can
be maintained during travel and, in our experience, it is also
unlikely to be provided during the fair. As a consequence we consider
such animals to be particularly stressed and that this impacts
negatively on their welfare.
Because many animals from different sources
share a common air space at a fair, any airborne pathogen can
be easily transmitted between animals. In particular this applies
to birds where such common diseases as Chlamydia are airborne.
There is also a public health risk as some of these diseases are
also infectious to man. Because of the stress caused by transporting
the animals to the fair it is likely that their immune systems
will be suppressed and this makes them more susceptible to disease
as well as increasing the likelihood of the excretion of infectious
organisms. While we have no direct evidence that there is a high
incidence of disease, we consider that to be a result of a lack
of data rather than evidence that the problem does not exist.
Because of the peripatetic nature of pet fairs,
BVA considers that they encourage elements of irresponsible sale
and purchase of pets. While some purchasers may go specifically
to purchase a given species, others will visit on impulse. The
consequent impulse purchase of the animal is to be deplored as
it is unlikely that the new owner's level of knowledge will be
adequate to properly provide the exacting environmental conditions
which many of these animals require as mentioned above. Even the
provision of well produced information to accompany the animal
cannot replace the experience, skill and in depth study required
to properly keep many reptiles.
It may be interesting to note that the general
view of veterinary practitioners, including experts on such species,
is that the majority of disease shown by reptiles is a result
of the provision of an inadequate environment which may lead to
serious metabolic disease. This frequently results in either the
animal being crippled or in extreme cases dying. Birds also require
a complex environment to stimulate them mentally and this is also
often neglected.
When an animal purchased at a fair does show
signs of disease following purchase, it is very difficult for
the purchaser to adequately seek guidance or compensation from
the vendor. Often vendors travel long distances to fairs and there
is therefore no possibility of advice being given except by telephone
where available. BVA considers that responsible vendors of animals
must provide good "after sales" service to ensure the
continuing health and welfare of the animals. The peripatetic
nature of fairs makes such provision much more difficult.
Lastly BVA is very concerned that the legalisation
of pet fairs may encourage the sale of other species. The Committee
will, no doubt, be aware that puppy farming continues at a relatively
high level in spite of legislation on the breeding of dogs. Indeed
there is good evidence of the import of considerable numbers of
dogs from puppy farms in the Republic of Ireland. The legalisation
of pet fairs could allow the re-emergence of the sale of puppies
and possibly kittens by such a route. Given the very high levels
of profitability in the trade, the financial incentive to do so
would be significant. BVA is very concerned that the effects on
the welfare of such puppies and kittens would be even worse than
current sale through pet shops.
BVA considers that what is required for the
sale of pets is a common standard. One of those standards should
be a requirement to rest an animal for a period (probably 48 hours)
between arrival at a point of sale and it being offered for sale.
Such a requirement would make pet fairs impractical and we consider
that would be a significant benefit to animal welfare.
October 2004
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