Today 4th December, Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation (CAWF) welcomed the introduction of the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill in the House of Commons.
Since the founding of Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation in 2016, ending live exports for fattening and slaughter has been a core campaign. After many parliamentary events, Conservative Party Conference receptions, letters, reports, and rallies, CAWF is delighted that this Bill has taken its first step towards becoming legislation. Most recently, in October Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation held its annual World Farm Animal Day reception at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester and pressed for an end to live exports.
Above: Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation’s Conservative Party Conference Reception 2023 hosted by Anna Firth MP on World Farm Animal Day which called for an end to live exports for fattening and slaughter. Pictured: Minister Rebecca Pow MP, Patrons Anna Firth MP, Theresa Villiers MP, Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Meghan Gallacher MSP, and Kevin Foster MP.
The Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill will ban the export of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and horses for slaughter and fattening from Great Britain, stopping unnecessary stress, exhaustion, and injury caused by exporting live animals.
The Second Reading of the Bill is expected to be announced shortly. CAWF is urging MPs from across parties to attend the Second Reading and show their support for ending live exports for fattening and slaughter.
The commitment to end live exports for fattening and slaughter honours a popular Conservative Party Manifesto commitment and delivers an important component of Defra’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare.
Historically Great Britain has exported large numbers of sheep and calves abroad to France and as far afield as Spain. Overcrowding means that some cannot lie down at all, while those who do may be injured or trampled to death. They can be in transit for days, suffering extremes of temperature and often without sufficient food, water or rest.
Animals may end up in countries with far poorer welfare standards than our own, enduring practices that are illegal in the UK such as veal crates. Calves placed into the Dutch white veal pen systems, where they are unable to perform natural behaviour, are barely able to turn around.
Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation would like to thank Prime Minister Rishi Sunak MP, Secretary of State for Defra Steve Barclay MP and the Defra team for their support for this critical measure which will spare many animals the suffering they endure on long journeys overseas.
You can read the latest opinion piece on delivering this important Bill by Co-Founder of Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation Lorraine Platt here in Comment Central.
Lorraine Platt, Co-Founder of the Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation, commented: “We were thrilled to welcome the introduction of the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Bill in Parliament today; the first step towards sparing countless animals the suffering they endure on journeys overseas for fattening and slaughter. Through enacting this legislation, the Government will be honouring a key Manifesto commitment, as well as an important component of Defra’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare.
“We are grateful to the DEFRA team for their leadership of this Bill. We look forward to supporting its Second Reading in due course.”
About Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation (CAWF)
The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation was established in 2016 to raise awareness on the lives of billions of animals reared on intensive farms around the world and how this impact upon animal welfare, the environment and people’s health. We want to highlight the action people can take to help advance farm animal welfare.
Animal welfare is an increasing concern amongst the public, who frequently look to Government to take the lead in both maintaining and improving standards.
The Conservative Animal Welfare Foundation believes it is highly important that the welfare of farm animals is placed at the forefront of the Governments plan for food and farming along with its focus on productivity, competitiveness, and technology.
