LECTURE 26- animal welfare

what is animal ethics

examines human-animal relationships, the moral consideration of animals and how non-human animals should be treated

what is animal welfare

how animals experience life and its environment, and whether this experience is good or not

what is animal rights

 the right animals have not to be used/exploited by humans

what are the economic drivers for animal welfare

animals well cared for in a low-stress environment may perform better, causing better quality products

how are animal welfare and production costs related

 the higher the welfare standards, the greater the cost to produce the products. Often less production per unit-area, or higher cost for facilities

what is a Social Licence to Operate (SLO)

 society’s acceptance of how production systems operate

who develops animal welfare policies in NZ

Minister for Primary Industries (MPI), enforced by RSPCA and MPI inspectors

what two committees advise animal welfare

• National animal ethics advisory committee (NAEAC)

• National animal welfare advisory committee (MAWAC)

what re the 4 key points of the animal welfare act 1999

1.  recognition that ‘animals’ as defined in the  act’ are sentient (2015)

2. legal mandate to create regulations that are immediately enforceable (2015)

3. Some sentient animals are exempted from protection under the act because they are classified as pests

4. Animals used in research, testing, and teaching are covered by a separate section from other animals and are treated differently.

what does the welfare act do

Sets out obligations of people who own or are in charge of animals

• To meet an animal’s physical health and behavioural needs

• Alleviate pain and distress

what is ‘physical health and behavioural needs’ defined as

1. Proper and sufficient food and water

2. Adequate shelter

3. The opportunity to display normal patterns of behavior

4. Appropriate physical handling

5. Protection from, and rapid diagnosis of, injury and disease

what are the 3 components of the animal welfare system

Animal welfare act, Codes of welfare, and regulations

what is in the animal welfare act

• high level obligations for animal needs and wellbeing

• High level offences and penalties for serious cases

what is in the codes of welfare

• Detail minimum standards

• Reflect good practice

• Not directly enforceable, but can be tied back to the animal welfare act

what is in regulations

• Intermediate

• More specific than the animal welfare act

• More enforceable than codes of welfare

• Low-to-medium level penalties

what is stockmanship

Quality of care or management of animals as performed by owner or caretaker

• you must be trained, and have the appropriate knowledge to care for animals up to the standard highlighted in the code of welfare

what percentage NZ’s exports is in primary industry products

80%

what percentage of primary industries products are livestock products

40%

what are common animal welfare issues

• nutrition and exercise

• designer breeds

• cats vs wildlife

• control of introduced species

• captive breeding programmes/zoos

what does Predator Free 2050 aim to make NZ free of

 possums, rats and stoats

what is the World Organisation for Animal Health

published the first global animal welfare standards with 182 member countries (2004)