Farm Animal Welfare Legislation: Gaps and Improvements Needed

Existing farm animal welfare legislation leaves significant gaps between legal requirements and scientific standards for animal welfare.

Key Facts

EU animal welfare legislation generally sets minimum acceptable standards not optimal conditions
Enforcement of existing legislation is inconsistent across EU member states
Legal minimum standards in many countries lag 10-20 years behind welfare science
Non-legislative tools including certification and retailer standards often exceed legal requirements
Post-Brexit UK has opportunity to develop world-leading farm animal welfare legislation

Welfare Considerations

Welfare legislation establishes the floor below which treatment of farm animals is legally prohibited, not the standard to which they should be kept. The gap between legal minimum and optimal welfare can be enormous. Animals kept at legal minimum standards in some jurisdictions experience chronic suffering that would not be acceptable to most members of the public who saw it. Strengthening legislation, improving enforcement and creating financial incentives for above-minimum standards are complementary strategies for closing the gap between legal and scientific welfare standards.

What You Can Do

Advocate for strengthened farm animal welfare legislation in your country
Support organisations monitoring and enforcing existing welfare legislation
Engage with political consultations on animal welfare policy reform
Choose certified products that exceed legal minimums for farming welfare standards