Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation ( CAWF) welcomes the Animal Welfare Strategy priorities, including consulting on phasing out the use of cages in farming, moving away from the use of carbon dioxide (CO2) to stun pigs, and introducing standards for the humane killing of fish. It will also address loopholes around regulations governing the breeding of dogs and cats, banning snare traps and introducing a close season for hares.
CAWF has long called on the Government to ensure the Animal Welfare Strategy includes provisions to end the use of cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for sows, as well as plans to implement mandatory animal welfare labelling on food products and species-specific legislation for farmed fish at slaughter, including mandatory stunning and inspections since farmed fish do not currently receive the same welfare provisions as other farmed animals.
Lorraine Platt, Co-Founder of Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, commented: “We welcome the publication of the Government’s Animal Welfare Strategy today, but note there are several key areas not addressed. We are pleased to see important plans on phasing out cages for laying hens and farrowing crates, a review on the use of carbon dioxide stunning to kill pigs and the introduction of humane slaughtering requirements for farmed fish. The plans to end the use of cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for pigs will advance farm animal welfare. Taken together, these measures represent a meaningful step towards higher welfare farming and signal a clear intention to raise expectations for the treatment of animals throughout the food system.”
We remain disappointed that the Strategy does not commit to meaningful action on mandatory method-of-production labelling, despite last year’s Government consultation indicating 99% public support for clearer food labelling. It is frustrating that the Strategy stops short of committing to action on improved food labelling, and instead repeats a vague promise to “continue exploring” the issue with stakeholders. Consumers have been clear that they want transparent method-of-production information, and higher-welfare farmers need a level playing field—not another round of discussion. Crucially, mandatory method-of-production labelling would also help protect British farmers from being undercut by lower-welfare imports, by making production standards visible at the point of purchase and allowing shoppers and retailers to choose UK products that meet higher welfare expectations. If the Government is serious about raising standards, it should move beyond stakeholder engagement and bring forward a clear, time-bound plan to introduce mandatory method-of-production labelling. Mandatory labelling remains the missing lever and would be a huge driver to advance farmed animal welfare. Method of Production labelling would allow consumers to make informed choices on how animals are reared and slaughtered, and reward farmers who invest in higher welfare. It is one of the most practical, pro-farmer ways to drive welfare improvements at scale. Farm animals make up the vast majority of animals in the United Kingdom, and their welfare should sit at the heart of any Animal Welfare Strategy. We press for the government to take action to implement this key measure to advance welfare for billions of farmed animals.
The Rt Hon Sir Roger Gale MP said, “What is needed is not ‘exploration’ but regulation to ensure both that consumers know what they are buying and that British farmers are not undercut by cheap EU or other foreign imports produced under welfare conditions not permitted in the UK”.
The previous Government introduced a ban on live exports, enshrined animal sentience in UK law, strengthened sentencing for animal cruelty and delivered a range of further reforms. That responsibility has now passed to the current Government, and it is essential that this important work continues to further advance animal welfare.
CAWF also calls on the Government to confirm how it will deliver its manifesto commitment to ban the import of hunting trophies, which is not set out in the Strategy announcement.
The Animal Welfare Strategy is encouraging, but it is only as strong as the action that follows. This plan must now be implemented through robust legislation, clear timelines, and properly resourced enforcement—so that it delivers real, measurable change for animals.
Statement on the Animal Welfare Strategy by CAWF Patron, the Rt Hon Sir Roger Gale MP:
The Animal Welfare Strategy for England
The belated publication of this Government’s “Animal Welfare Strategy for England,” a document that has been on the stocks since midsummer, reveals some modest progress and a lot of opportunities disappointingly missed accompanied by the sound of cans being kicked smartly down the road!
First, given that this work has been available for months, why has it been released just a couple of days before Christmas, when the House is not sitting, and it is not open to a Ministerial statement and parliamentary scrutiny? The answer, of course, lies in the detail- or lack of it.
The document rightly says that
” the UK has a strong record of animal welfare of which we are rightly proud’
and insofar as the strategy seeks to build upon the considerable achievements of the last Government and the recommendations of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, that is a very good thing.
Measures to bring to an end the illegal importing of puppies ( although noticeably not kittens) and the revolting practice of ‘puppy farming’ are necessary, and the strategy proposes some potential improvements to farm and wild animal welfare.
In other areas, it is desperately weak.
The transparent and correct labelling of food is essential if consumers are to be able to exercise an informed choice based upon animal welfare considerations as well as price. On this already over-consulted issue, the ‘ strategy’ says limply that
” we will explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and provide better animal welfare’”!
What is needed is not ‘exploration’ but regulation to ensure both that consumers know what they are buying and that British farmers are not undercut by cheap EU or other foreign imports produced under welfare conditions not permitted in the UK.
I have personally consistently supported a ban on trail hunting ( though not on drag hunting) because the use of animal scent has become a way to circumvent the provisions of the Hunting Act.
But why no immediate ban on the shooting of hares during the breeding season? (The rare Thanet brown hare is an endangered species). Why only will this Government
“consider how to bring forward …….”
introducing a closed season?
Why not get on and do it?
We are told that tourists will be ‘supported to choose higher animal welfare standards’ when selecting holiday destinations abroad’ . But where is the ban on the importing of the body parts of animals (“trophies’) shot by UK and other’ hunters’ for ‘sport’?
We shall clearly need to return to this, I trust with the support of a Speaker who will once again have noted than a policy announcement has been made to the press rather than to Parliament, when the House sits again in January.
The Government once again seeks to shelter behind a’ lack of parliamentary time’ to avoid introducing legislation. There is no lack of parliamentary time – only a lack of political will.
Sir Roger Gale ( Herne Bay and Sandwich) is a Patron of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation.
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