Species : Multiple species

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability

DG SANTE, European Commission

Published in 2023

First EU legislative proposal concerning the welfare of dogs and cats in kennels, shelters and pet shops. It includes compulsory microchip identification and registration for animals sold in the EU, compulsory licensing of breeding establishments, a harmonization of the regulations on housing, breeding and care; awareness-raising among buyers of the care, feeding and veterinary needs of pets; adequate training in animal care and welfare for those employed as carers by such establishments; a system to allow buyers to check the identification and registration of animals supplied via online platforms; and a requirement for imported animals to meet the same welfare standards as those bred in the EU.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords: Adoption, Human-animal relationships,Abandonment, Societal issues

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Executive Summary of the Impact Assessment Report Accompanying the document Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of animals during transport and related operations, amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005

DG SANTE, European Commission

Published in 2023

Impact assessment setting out the animal welfare implications of the legislative proposal on the transport of live animals. The impacts addressed are economic, social and environmental.

Document Types: Opinions

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

Keywords: One Welfare, Human-animal relationships, Transport,Societal issues

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Recommendation on using ethology, an understanding of fish behaviour, to improve fish welfare and production

Aquaculture Advisory Council

Published in 2023

Guide from the Aquaculture Advisory Council offering  recommendations for all those involved in the sector, but also for the European Commission and Member States.

Document Types: Good practice guide

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Animal-based measurements, Enrichment, Human-animal relationships

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What are farm animals thinking?

David Grimm

Published in 2023

Article summarizing recent research on the mental faculties of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs, describing the importance of this work   in better addressing the needs of the above species, and explaining why it had not previously been  arried out.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Category of animals: Bovines, Caprines, Ovines, Porcines

Keywords:Consciousness, Memory, Metacognition, Personality, Cognitive processes, Human-animal relationships

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European Parliament: written answer to Question E-002772/23: EU legislation on use of hazardous substances in electrical equipment: consequences for animal welfare and Adaptation of the animal to the environment conservation

Question: Gianna Gancia (ID). Answer: Mr Sinkevičius on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2023

Answer to a question on the lack of regulation of heating spotlights emitting UV-A/B radiation, used for breeding and keeping exotic animals.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Wildlife, NAC, Reptiles

Keywords:Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Living environment, Stress

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European Parliament: written answer to question E-002692/2023 : Will the revision of animal welfare legislation occur under this mandate?

Question: Annika Bruna (ID), Aurélia Beigneux (ID). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2023

Answer to a question on the European Commission's intentions concerning the completion of the reform of EU animal welfare regulations that has now been postponed until after the 2024 European elections.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords: Societal issues, Human-animal relationships

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European Parliament: written answer to question E-002691/2023 : Will the Commission make slaughter with stunning the new standard in Europe?

Question: Annika Bruna (ID), Gilles Lebreton (ID), Ivan Vilibor Sinčić (NI), Eric Minardi (ID), France Jamet (ID), Marie Dauchy (ID), Catherine Griset (ID), Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE), André Rougé (ID), Elżbieta Kruk (ECR), Dominique Bilde (ID). Reply: Ms Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2023

Answer to a question on whether the European Commission is ready to ban slaughter without stunning and extend this ban to imported meat from animals slaughtered in third countries.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

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

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

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Doing better for understudied species: Evaluation and improvement of a species-general animal welfare assessment tool for zoos

Shannon L. O'Brien, Katherine A. Cronin

Published in 2023

Scientific article evaluating a generic welfare assessment method for different animals in the same zoo. It reveals that Mammals received the highest welfare scores and their assessment questionnaires were completed most fully. This led the authors to modify their assessment tool to take better account of all the taxa present in the zoo.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Wildlife

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Societal issues, Enrichment, Welfare indicators, Housing, Living environment, Human-animal relationships

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Summary of the EU 2023 aquaculture survey

CIWF

Published in 2023

Summary of a report on investigations carried out at four trout farms in Poland to document typical farming practices on trout farms. After providing an overview of trout farming in the EU, it identifies welfare and health hazards, poor handling techniques, and inefficient and painful slaughter systems. It recommends that regulations should be introduced for the rearing, transport and slaughter of each species of farmed fish, and that research should be encouraged to improve welfare in these species.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Fish

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Consciousness, Pain, Societal issues, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Transport

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Animal welfare as a public good

Romain Espinosa, Nicolas Treich

Published in 2023

Article developing a model of animal consumption based on consumer altruism. According to this model, at the point where the market achieves equilibrium, quality is not  high enough and the quantity of animals whose lives are not worth living is too high.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: All animals

Keywords:Societal issues, Modelling, One Welfare, Human-animal relationships, livestock farming system

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