Animal welfare in Europe

A Gavinelli,N Lakestani

doi:10.5565/rev/da.216

Abstract

Gavinelli and Lakestani discuss animal welfare legislation in the European Union and the current need to incorporate more sophisticated objectives such as social interest and economic concerns, public and animal health issues. They quote the Treaty of Lisbon of 2009. This goes further than simply acknowledging animals as sentient beings and states that animal protection is now a stand-alone article. The importance of the European Commission in the implementation of EU legislation is highlighted by means of effective control systems. Gavinelli and Lakestani conclude that animal welfare legislation in Europe is very comprehensive as it is applied in 27 member countries thus protecting large numbers of animals. They further state the importance of consulting with an enlarged number of interested parties in order to generate more comprehensive legislation and greater consistency among member states in future.

Highlights

The first European legislation protecting animal welfare was adopted in 1974 and was created to protect animals at slaughter[1]
Today, when elaborating animal welfare legislation, more sophisticated objectives such as social interest and economic concerns, public and animal health issues are taken into account
This directive illustrates the beginning of concerns about improving the welfare of animals: "Whereas the Community should take action to avoid in general all forms of cruelty to animals; whereas it appears desirable, as a first step, that this action should consist in laying down conditions such as to avoid all unnecessary suffering on the part of animals when being slaughtered;"

Summary

Introduction

The first European legislation protecting animal welfare was adopted in 1974 and was created to protect animals at slaughter[1]. Animal welfare legislation in Europe had, at its beginnings, mainly been elaborated giving priority to the principle that the internal European market needed to be harmonised.

Results

Conclusion