| answer text |
<p>The Government is delivering a series of ambitious reforms, as outlined in the
Action Plan for Animal Welfare (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/action-plan-for-animal-welfare"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/action-plan-for-animal-welfare</a>).
One of the ways we wish to improve the welfare of farm animals is strengthening protections
against animal confinement. We are actively exploring options to phase out the use
of cages in farming, including the use of enriched cages for laying hens, farrowing
crates for pigs and cages for breeding pheasants and partridges. Ending the use of
cages would have a significant impact on some sectors of the farming industry and
so we would need to undergo a public consultation.</p><p>For pets, the Animal Welfare
(Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations, introduced in 2018,
require businesses that carry out activities involving animals to obtain a valid licence
from their local authority. Licences must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards
which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse or revoke
licences. The 2018 Regulations are supported by statutory guidance which provides
specific information about the conditions for each activity. This includes guidance
on the size of cages that should be sold in the course of selling animals as pets:</p><p><a
href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-activities-licensing-guidance-for-local-authorities"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-activities-licensing-guidance-for-local-authorities</a></p><p>
</p><p>Current requirements on how farmed livestock should be kept, including detailed
provisions on accommodation, are set down in The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England)
Regulations 2007 with further guidance provided in Defra’s species-specific farm animal
welfare codes.</p><p> </p><p>For gamebirds, the Statutory Code of Practice for the
Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes provides keepers with guidance on
how to meet the welfare needs of their gamebirds as required by the Animal Welfare
Act 2006. It recommends that barren cages for breeding pheasants and small barren
cages for breeding partridges should not be used and that any system should be appropriately
enriched.</p>
|
|
