We’re campaigning to ensure animal welfare isn't compromised when we leave the EU, and that our standards are protected. Leaving the EU presents us with some opportunities to improve animal welfare.
Go!
55% of UK consumers surveyed looked for more information about animal welfare when shopping.
Four in five shoppers wanted to see egg labelling extended to 'all meat and dairy products'.
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We see these improvements being applied to four key areas... Hover over the tabs to reveal further info.
Much of the UK’s current body of legislation that affects animal welfare comes from the EU and we believe these laws must not only be fully incorporated across the UK, but improved!
So how much of the UK's current animal welfare law comes from the EU?
So how much of the UK's current animal welfare law comes from the EU?
As part of our campaign, we would like to see...
Recognising animals as sentient beings is central to EU animal welfare law. This means that animals experience feelings and emotions and this must be taken into account when creating new laws.
More info
The UK farming industry currently receives over £2.5 billion in EU subsides. The governments in the UK will now be implementing new farm support payments.
The largest body of EU animal welfare legislation concerns farm animals and as these laws are brought into effect across the UK, there is a chance to review them.
There are species-specific laws for laying hens, veal calves, meat chickens and pigs.
A maximum stocking density for meat chickens - how many can be kept per m2
A ban on sow stalls, a crate for confining pregnant pigs.
A ban on barren battery cages for laying hens.
Laws that set standards on the way farm animals are reared and produced...
Certain veterinary products have been prohibited with bans on the use of growth hormones in cattle, such as bST, which can often have a negative impact on the welfare of the animals.
One law sets rules on the live transport of animals.
A further one on how animals can be killed.
There is also legislation covering consumer information, such as labelling eggs and egg boxes with method of production e.g. 'Eggs from caged hens'.
... and country of origin labelling so shoppers can trace where animals were born, reared and slaughtered.
The UK will be signing new trade agreements and some of the countries involved may have lower animal welfare standards than we do.
Trade agreements can be used to stop products from animals reared to lower welfare standards from being imported into a country.
Adding Ractopamine, a growth hormone, to pig feed.
Washing chickens in chlorine to prevent faecal contamination.
Treating cows with bovine growth hormone, bST.
Cloning farm animals.
What practices do EU laws ban for imported products? Select all that apply.
All of them! We are calling for animal welfare provisions to be included in all trade agreements.
The RSPCA is calling for a reform in farm subsidy payments by ensuring public money will only go to farms that improve the health and welfare of animals and farms which employ higher welfare farming practices.
We are also working to secure four big opportunities to improve the welfare of farm animals.
End non-stun slaughter.
Around 18% of UK meat chickens i.e. 180 million animals are not pre-stunned prior to slaughter.
Improve animal welfare at the time of slaughter for all species.
Over seven billion animals are farmed each year for meat, dairy and fish.
Tens of thousands of animals, mostly sheep, are being exported from the UK to the continent for slaughter or further fattening.
Current laws on maximum journey time during transport and regulations on environmental conditions inside the transport vehicles are not acceptable and must be improved.
There should be a prohibition on the transport of live animals abroad for slaughter or further fattening. This would ensure over 10,000 sheep do not endure needless cruel journey's.
To introduce species specific standards for those farm animals that don’t have their own protection. Including...
Together we can improve the welfare of as many farm animals as possible, at every stage of their lives. Sign up today to receive emails about our campaigns to improve animal welfare.
Sign up now https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/endcruelty/changingthelaw/brexit/interactive
