LOCAL AUTHORITY CHARTER FOR THE WELFARE OF ANIMALS
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Gandhi
General Principles
1) This Charter has been adopted by the Council to reflect concerns of local people who care about animal welfare. In adopting the Charter the Council hopes that it will provide an example to other agencies, individuals and organisations to prevent the unnecessary suffering of animals.
2) The Council supports the view that all animals are sentient creatures and have a right to life free from cruel treatment and unnecessary suffering. It recognises that animals are capable of feeling, of enjoying a state of well-being and capable of suffering. The Council will take these factors into account when formulating all policy.
3) The Council considers that people have a duty of care towards animals in their charge and that such animals have the right to enjoy the five basic freedoms developed by the Farm Animal Welfare Council:
a) Freedom from hunger and thirst – by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
b) Freedom from discomfort – by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
c) Freedom from pain, injury or disease – by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
d) Freedom to express normal behaviour – by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind, if appropriate.
e) Freedom from fear and distress – by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.
4) The Council will take these five freedoms into account when exercising its statutory powers in relation to animal health and welfare matters as well as when developing future policy.
5) The Council believes that it has a moral responsibility for the welfare of all captive and domestic animals and all wild animals in-so-far that its activities impinge upon them. The Council will work to achieve these objectives in the following key areas:
a) Using its enforcement powers fairly and firmly on animal welfare matters.
b) Exercising control through policy decisions in relation to activities it controls.
c) Educating and advising residents and visitors to the County on relevant animal welfare issues.
d) Providing up-to-date advice on animal welfare matters to organisations involved with animals and to the public.
e) Seeking to influence, both within and outside the Council’s area, persons who could have an impact on important welfare issues.
6) Whilst there are areas where the Council is unable to take direct action, as a responsible body it will make its views known via the Local Government Association, and to Members of Parliament, Members of the European Parliament and the Government.
7) The Council will amend and update this Animal Welfare Charter as necessary to reflect changes in national legislation, public opinion and local and national circumstances.
8) The Council will ensure that this Charter is produced and made widely available to members of the public through the Town Hall, Council Offices, Libraries and other community based centres. It will also be sent to other premises visited by the public (e.g., Citizens Advice Bureaus) and will be available on the Council’s website.
9) The role of the Council to influence derives from its status as a democratically elected body able to reflect the view of the community. As a large organisation the Council has the ability to influence the animal welfare debate and by supporting and encouraging other organisations with similar interests who operate peacefully and within the law. The Council recognises that there are many areas of animal welfare concern but consider the following areas to be the priorities for which it will try to bring about change.
a) Intensive animal husbandry which: (a) leads to serious health problems and physical pain for the animals involved; and/or (b) frustrates their natural behaviour.
b) Responsible pet ownership.
c) Encouraging the reduction, replacement and refining of the use of animals in research.
d) Reducing the transportation time and improving handling and transport conditions between farm, market and slaughterhouse so as to reduce animal stress.
e) Protection of wildlife.
10) The Council supports legislation changes to bring about, amongst other things:
a) A European maximum journey time for animals for slaughter of 8 hours, with the ultimate aim of banning the live transportation of animals for slaughter to Continental Europe.
b) A
c) An end to the export of British animals to be raised in systems that is illegal in
d) A phasing out as soon as possible of the battery cage systems for poultry.
e) An ethical trade policy which will ban the import, export and trade in items such as seal products.
f) A ban on animals in circuses.