Animal law in the UK is laid down in Acts of Parliament, in European Union Directives, and in case laws that set a legal precedent until overturned by subsequent rulings. The recent Animal Welfare Act of 2006 was the first major piece of legislation dealing with animal welfare in UK for almost 100 years. This Act covers the duty of care for non farmed animals, and gives greater powers to animal welfare groups to take action to prevent abuse, neglect and cruelty to “companion” animals.
In 1998 the European Union Council set down a directive governing the minimum standards to be maintained for all animals kept for food, wool, skin or fur or for other farming purposes, including fish, reptiles of amphibians. This directive, laid down by the Farm Animal Welfare Council, set out ‘Five Freedoms’ for animals: freedom from hunger and thirst; from discomfort; from pain, injury and disease; from fear and distress; freedom to express normal behavior.
In 2004 the Hunting Act was introduced, amidst much controversy, making the traditional use of dogs for fox hunting (and hare coursing) illegal. This Act has been widely rejected by a great number of country dwellers, who have continued to hold hunts in protest at the Act.
Protests and pressure groups form an important function in UK, helping to sway public opinion. They also aim to influence elected members of parliament who are required to vote on new Acts of Parliament before they are finally passed as law. Animal activists have, for the most part, failed to achieve public sympathy for their stance on animal research and the fur trade. They have been held responsible for many acts of aggression against research laboratories, fur farms and small-animal breeding farms, and, I believe, have lost the sympathy of the general public.
The current legislation focuses almost entirely on animal welfare for domesticated and “kept” animals. There is little provision for animal rights in experimentation conducted by the cosmetic and perfume industries, and in preventing unnecessary and cruel medical research. Until these areas are successfully tackled through legislation the UK cannot truly stand by it’s claim to be a “nation of animal lovers”.
Reference: Major Legislation in UK
Animal Welfare Act 2006
Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 2006
Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or killing) Regulations 1995
The Performing Animals (Regulation) Act 1925
The Pet Animals Act 1951
Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963
Riding Establishments Act 1964 and 1970
The Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, The Breeding of Dogs Act 1991 and the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999
Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 and the Farriers (Registration) (Amendment) Act 1977
EU Directive 98/58/EC (regulations on protection of animals kept for farming purposes)