Farmed Animal Abuse Could See 5 Year Prison Sentence Under New UK Bill
The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill offers a tougher deterrent for animal abuse through a significant increase from the current maximum sentence of six months to five years.
Public pressure was the leading force behind the bill, as 70% of people supported the proposal of tougher prison sentences for animal abuse in a public consultation last year.
“These increased maximum sentences will act as a serious deterrent against cruelty and neglect in the future. This step builds on recent positive action we have taken to protect animals, including plans to ban third party puppy and kitten sales and banning the use of wild animals in circuses,” said Animal Welfare Minister, David Rutley.
These animal protection proposals are a massive win for animal rights in the UK. Typically, animal abuse laws are stricter for companion animals than those who are farmed or wild. But, more people are making the connection between the animals they love and the animals they eat – and it’s great to see UK law incorporate this change in thinking.
The new bill is a huge positive step towards a more compassionate world, but it is important to remember current UK legislation currently allows for farmed animals to endure massive suffering for meat and dairy. Viva! investigated many of the UK’s biggest dairy, cow, pig and chicken farms and found that current regulations still allows for animal cruelty on a mass scale.
Farmed animals live in dirty, overcrowded conditions and often lack sufficient enrichment. They are denied nearly all their natural behaviours and experience high levels of stress. The filthy conditions and overcrowding causes sickness and disease and frequently the animals are simply left to die.
During our investigation of Hogwood Farm which supplies Tesco and is approved by Red Tractor, Viva! Campaigns found pigs cannibalising each other, severe overcrowding, sick and injured pigs left to die in gangways, and dead piglets dumped into bins. While this sounds like something out of a horror film, these conditions are deemed legal by the government.
The reality for other farmed animals is unfortunately no better. Dairy cows are forced into a relentless cycle of forced impregnation before having their babies ripped from them time and time again. Male calves are deemed a useless by-product so are shot in the head or killed for cheap meat. Female calves are destined to replace their mothers in the milking herd.
Although battery cages were banned in 2011, chickens are now subjected to the new ‘enriched cage’ which offers less than a postcard-size of extra space than the battery cage. In the new cages, chickens are forced to live in extreme close confinement with up to 80 other chickens, causing extreme stress and frustration.
These conditions are deeply ingrained in factory farming.
Michael Gove, the current Environment Secretary who announced the bill said: “There is no place in this country for animal cruelty. That is why I want to make sure that those who abuse animals are met with the full force of the law. Our new Bill sends a clear message that this behaviour will not be tolerated, with the maximum five-year sentence one of the toughest punishments in Europe
“I am committed to making our country the best place in the world for the care and protection of animals.”
Times are definitely changing for farmed animals in the UK, and Gove’s new bill hopefully means that these negligent conditions will not be accepted any longer.
Help us hold Gove true to his word, by joining our ongoing campaign for animals to be free from this suffering currently allowed under UK legislation. By choosing vegan, you can stop supporting the cruel meat and dairy industries and hold them accountable for the abuse they’re responsible for. The only way to truly end animal suffering is to go vegan.
You can help us campaign for a more compassionate world by ordering your own door drop leaflets including our Hogwood, TRASH or ‘And you thought cages had gone’ leaflets.
About the author
Guest Blogger
