Memorandum submitted by North Kent Animal
Welfare (NKAW)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
NKAW considers that whilst applauding moves
to increase the protection of animals, it also considers that
there are areas of animal cruelty/suffering which have not been
addressed by same.
For example, NKAW is extremely disappointed
that whilst it would appear that the British Public have got the
message on animal circuses and the cruelties involved in the performing
animal business, the Government is not listening. There has been
ample opportunity for the Bill to give Circus animals the protection
they need. Overwhelming evidence has been provided within the
last few years by Welfare Organisations such as "Animal Defenders
International" (ADI) to show the suffering and abuse of animal
circuses. NKAW considers that the Government has ignored all the
evidence provided.
Despite outstanding video footage and undercover
investigations within the Circus environment by organisations
such as ADI, it would appear that under the Governments new proposals
in the form of the Bill, animal confinement and deprivation will
remain legal and it will be difficult to prosecute for cruelty.
Studies over the last 10 years have demonstrated that with their
constant business of travelling around the country, circuses cannot
provide adequately for the needs of the animals in their care.
The benchmark of any animal protection legislation would stop
this abuse.
As stated: with regard to animal circuses, the
public have understood the message about performing animals, the
Government has not.
As an organisation very involved in the issue
of live animal transportation, especially that for slaughter and
further fattening from Kent Ports such as Dover, NKAW are also
very disappointed that there is no mention of anything relating
to animal transportation within the Bill. As with the above, it
would appear that the public are fully opposed to live animal
transportation, but the Government (Defra) is not coming clean
and taking any real progressive action on the issue. Time and
time again there have been calls for the British Government to
lead the way in Europe and to ban the trade in live animal exportation;
time and time again the Government has used every excuse in the
book to allow the trade to continue. As with the circus issue,
immense video footage and evidence has been collated by organisations
such as Compassion In World Farming (CIWF) over the years in relation
to live animal transportation. Despite the overwhelming evidence,
the Government has failed to act and improve the welfare of so
many British farm animals. NKAW calls on the Government to introduce
a ban on live animal transportation with immediate effect.
In the Foreword to this draft Animal Welfare
Bill, Secretary of State Margaret Beckett MP states "much
of the legislation . . . was drafted in the nineteenth century
and . . . fails to provide animals with standards of welfare appropriate
to our time". NKAW considers that in certain areas, the new
draft Animal Welfare Bill still fails to provide animals with
standards of welfare which should apply to 2004; a ban on the
use of performing circus animals and a ban on the long distance
transportation of farm animals being just two examples.
Comments are provided detailing the Page Number
of the Bill as presented by Defra, and relevant Section and Clause
(and/or sub clause) numbers given.
COMMENTS
Page 11, Clause 3; Welfare; Sub Section (4c)
NKAW do not consider that with regard performing
circuses, an animal is by any means allowed to "exhibit normal
behaviour patterns". The Bill is proposing Animal Welfare;
and travelling circuses do not allow for animal welfare to be
undertaken. We therefore question the statement made in this section
as a circus DOES NOT meet the needs (of an animal) in an appropriate
manner. Animal circuses should be completely banned.
We do not consider that Tigers kept by a travelling
Circus "exhibit normal behaviour patterns" any more
than we would expect of six chickens crammed together in a battery
cage.
Neither are "normal" conditions for
an animal; they do not allow the animal to exhibit normal behaviour
patterns.
Sub section 5 of "3—Welfare",
states that "appropriate manner" is a manner appropriate
to: the animals species; its environment and circumstances.
An "appropriate manner" is never provided
by travelling animal circuses or the battery cage.
As stated, whilst applauding moves to increase
the protection of animals, we believe that the draft Bill does
not give circus animals the protection they deserve, or farm animals
any protection in the form of a ban on live animal transportation.
24 August 2004
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