Written by Iain Hoey
The Environment Secretary George Eustice has detailed plans to ban the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening as part of a renewed push by government to strengthen the UK’s position as a world leader on animal welfare.
The proposals form part of an eight-week consultation, launched in England and Wales, seeking views on how to better protect animal welfare during transport.
Previously, EU rules prevented any changes to long live animals during exports, but leaving the EU has enabled the UK Government to pursue these plans which it has said would prevent unnecessary suffering of animals during transport and see the UK become the first country in Europe to end this practice.
The government is also consulting on proposals to further improve animal welfare in transport more generally, including: reducing maximum journey times, giving animals more space and headroom during transport, stricter rules on transporting animals in extreme temperatures, and tighter rules for transporting live animals by sea.
We are committed to improving the welfare of animals at all stages of life. Today marks a major step forward in delivering on our manifesto commitment to end live exports for slaughter,” said Mr Eustice.
“Now that we have left the EU, we have an opportunity to end this unnecessary practice. We want to ensure that animals are spared stress prior to slaughter.”
RSPCA CEO Chris Sherwood said they welcomed the plans to end live experts, as it is an issue they have campaigned on for more than 50 years: “There is absolutely no reasonable justification to subject an animal to an unnecessarily stressful journey abroad simply for them to be fattened for slaughter. Ending live exports for slaughter and further fattening would be a landmark achievement for animal welfare.
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