Species : Multiple species

Annual report of the EFSA Networks on Animal Welfare 2023

EFSA

Published in 2023

Technical report summarizing the activities of EFSA's network subgroups on animal welfare as presented at their 2023 annual meeting, including the progress of EFSA's ongoing welfare mandates along with two new mandates, on dog and cat welfare, and on use of diathermic syncope for cattle stunning. Discussions took place on various subjects, including hypertypes and genetic diseases in dogs, the need for stunning before the killing of decapods, the assessment of welfare at pasture, and population reduction methods in the event of an avian flu crisis.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Dogs, Goats, Equines, Felines, Molluscs, Sheep, Pigs, Poultry

Keywords:All subjects

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Urban animal welfare

Marion Weisslinger

Published in 2023

Dossier, including a video interview with a researcher in animal ethics, describing the different domestic and liminal animals that inhabit cities, the competition for space with humans, the need to consider the welfare of these animals, and the management of their populations.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Wildlife

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Biodiversity, Societal issues, Population management, One Welfare, Human-animal relationships

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What does the EU's new transport proposal mean for fish?

Eurogroup for Animals

Published in 2023

News article setting out the particular welfare needs of fish during transport, and analyzing the parts of the proposed revisions to the European regulations on animal welfare during transport that specifically address fish welfare. 

Document Types: Technical review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Fish, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Transport

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Assemblée nationale : réponse écrite à la question n° 12158 : Mise en place d’un droit de visite parlementaire dans les abattoirs

Karine Lebon (Gauche démocrate et républicaine - NUPES - Réunion). Answer: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

Published in 2023

Answer to a question concerning the position of the French Ministry of Agriculture on the possibility of parliamentary visits to abbatoirs, livestock farms and other facilities where livestock is kept.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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Lateralised Behavioural Responses in Livestock to Environmental Stressors: Implications for Using Infrared Thermography to Assess Welfare Conditions

Amira A. Goma, Jashim Uddin, Emily Kieson

Published in 2023

Scientific review of the lateralized behavioral responses of farm animals to environmental stressors, and the association between these responses and the infrared temperature of the external body surfaces concerned, with the aim of improving the use of non-invasive measures in the assessment of animal welfare conditions.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Precision farming, Welfare indicators, Living environment

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The Welfare of Birds at Slaughter in the United States

Animal Welfare Institute

Published in 2023

Report by the Animal Welfare Institute following a review of federal food inspection documents produced by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) between 2020 and 2022. It assesses the federal government's oversight of the slaughter of farmed birds in the USA.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Poultry

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Stress, Processing

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Global Trends in Halal Food Standards: A Review

J. Akbar, M. Gul, M. Jahangir, M. Adnan, S. Saud, S. Hassan, T. Nawaz, S. Fahad

Published in 2023

Scientific review examining the similarities and differences between halal standards in various Asian and Middle Eastern countries.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Cattle, Dogs, Sheep, Poultry

Keywords:Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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A data dump of suffering - The EU's long-distance trade in farm animals exposed

CIWF and Eurogroup for Animals

Published in 2023

Report based on consultation of data from TRACES, the European Commission's online management tool for the notification, certification and control of the trade in live animals and animal products. It reveals discrepancies in the keeping of registers, recorded and actual journey times, the use of, and changes to, assembly centres, destinations recorded as final that are not, waiting times in ports, and the conditions under which calves are transported.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Sheep, Pigs

Keywords: Human-animal relationships,Societal issues, Transport

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Conditions d’exercice des agents d’inspection vétérinaire affectés en abattoirs, et conséquences potentielles sur la qualité de l’inspection

CGAAER

Published in 2023

Report from France's CGAAER on the physical and managerial working conditions of nearly 1,800 veterinary abattoir inspectors in France, and on the impact of these working conditions on the quality of inspections.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Bovines, Caprines, Equines, Ovines, Porcines, Poultry

Keywords: Human-animal relationships, Welfare indicators,Societal issues, Processing, Stress

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Illegal trade of cats & dogs - EU enforcement action

DG SANTE, European Commission

Published in 2023

Report on an investigation coordinated by DG SANTE and carried out by the EU's agri-food anti-fraud network from July 2022 to July 2023. Its aim was to detect irregularities and the falsification of official documents accompanying pets, to target undeclared and unregistered sales, and to deter illegal trade through the strengthening of border controls and monitoring within the EU. The report concludes that the illegal movement of cats and dogs presents considerable risks, not only for animal health and welfare and public health, but also for the economy, in the form of consumer fraud, unfair competition for breeders, tax evasion and undeclared income.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Animal trade, Societal issues, Human-animal relationships

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