Memorandum submitted by The BioVeterinary
Group
We herein provide a concise submission based
on your kind invitation to interested parties to offer brief comment
regarding differences between the first draft of the Animal Welfare
Bill and such differences as may now have evolved on presentation
at First Reading in the HoC.
1. While the Committee is particularly seeking
"differences" between the first draft of the AWB and
the Bill in its present form, we must emphasise the LACK of change
in the Bill that is at least as important as those changes that
have been made. Despite powerful opposition to pet fairs/markets
and even the EFRA Select Committee's strong criticisms of the
way in which DEFRA handled its consultation and thus conclusions
regarding pet fairs/markets, DEFRA have repeatedly stated their
firm intention to legalise these events. DEFRA repeatedly also
state their intentions to hold further consultations but these
"consultations" are presented as ways of refining their
plans to legalise these events and not to consider their prohibition.
This intransigent approach by DEFRA in our view clashes with and
shows disrespect for the cautionary comments regarding pet fairs/markets
that the EFRA Select Committee emphasised in its report on the
Bill.
Further, and significantly;
2. since the publication of the draft Bill
DEFRA have admitted that:
a. they have NO support from animal welfare,
scientific, or veterinary organisations for their proposal to
legalise pet fairs, and that;
b. they have NO scientific evidence to support
their proposal to legalise pet fairs/markets.
In addition;
3. Pet fairs/markets are now OPPOSED by:
The British Veterinary Association, RSPCA, RSPB, Animal Protection
Agency, BioVeterinary Group, International Fund for Animal Welfare,
World Society for the Protection of Animals, Captive Animals Protection
Society, Born Free Foundation, Animal Aid, Wildlife Conservation
Society, and the Tortoise Trust to name a few.
4. The issue of avian influenza H5N1 ("bird
flu") and pet fairs/markets are inextricably linked, and
regardless of current and probably enduring concerns over bird
flu our firm view is that one or another emergent disease will
transpire from wild animal imports and pet fairs/markets (references
available).
5. The recent concerns regarding bird flu
have demonstrated what medical scientists have been stating for
decades that serious disease and health risks emerge from wildlife
trade and that issues such as incurable animal smuggling by-pass
any form of quarantine. It is no coincidence that the importation
of wild birds and pet fairs/markets were immediately targeted
as high risk disease dissemination sources. Important lessons
must be learnt by DEFRA that its plan to legalise pet fairs/markets
is dangerous and scientifically unfounded and will not be tolerated
by the media and the public.
6. Ben Bradshaw's intransigence regarding
his technically and politically defunct plans to legalise pet
fairs/markets has arguably brought himself, DEFRA, other DEFRA
Ministers, the Government and the AWB into ridicule and disrepute.
7. It is our firm advice that both the ban
on importation of wild birds as well as the ban on pet fairs/markets
should be permanent. Any relaxation of these bans will be a retrograde
step in animal welfare as well as public health and agricultural
animal health.
8. Contrary to some statements by DEFRA
officials it has clearly been possible to distinguish in legislation
between entirely non-commercial "exhibitions" of birds
(to which, save for the bird flu issue, we would hold no objection)
and the commercial display, buying, selling and exchange of birds
at pet fairs/markets (to which, regardless of bird flu, we object
most strongly). These clear differences also apply to exhibitions
and pet fairs/markets involving other animals such as reptiles,
amphibians and fish. The October amendment to the Animal Health
Act carried clear distinctions between "exhibitions"
and "pet fairs/markets" that we feel that these distinctions
would be an important inclusion in the redrafted AWB which would
enable clear reading of a prohibition on pet fairs/markets. The
Committee will recall that the EU ordered a ban bird exhibitions
and pet fairs/markets to protect against the spread of bird flu
whereas Mr Bradshaw had been asked to enact such a ban only two
days before the EU order and he refused outright to take such
action.
Submission prepared by
Phillip C Arena BSc(Hons), PhD
Biomedicine and Public Health
Roberto Paules-Villar MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon
Catrina Steedman BSc(Hons), GIBiol
Animal Biology and Behaviour
Clifford Warwick PGDipPHC(Med), EurProBiol, CBiol, FIBiol, FRSH,
FRIPH
Zoonotic Infections and Public Health
November 2005
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