Consultations
Sometimes the Government has a clear idea of the legislation it wants to create. Other times it seeks more information from vested interests - people in industry, academics, the general public, scientists – in fact, anyone with an opinion. This is called a consultation and the Government will ask a series of questions about a particular subject and invite responses. The Government will then look at all of the responses and see if new information comes to light and if there is a consensus around specific areas. They will consider all of this information when preparing the final Bill for discussion before Parliament.
Scottish Government Consultation on the Draft Code of Practice on the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes
Tuesday, 25 May 2010 10:22
We welcome the opportunity to comment on the draft code of practice on the welfare of gamebirds reared for sporting purposes. Our responses to key questions in the consultation are set out in the document below. We have not answered every question, but only those where we feel we have experience and expertise to offer. We would like to state at the outset that we are opposed to the shooting of gamebirds for sport. However, for as long as this practice continues in Scotland, we believe that significant improvements should be implemented to limit the negative impacts on the welfare of the birds during rearing.
Scottish Government Consultation: Beak trimming of laying hens
Monday, 22 March 2010 13:48
The large majority of commercial laying hens are still routinely beak-trimmed in all types of husbandry systems. In about 90% of cases, the infra-red (IR)-beam method is used, which has superseded the hot-blade method of beak-trimming in most hatcheries1. Unlike the hot-blade method, the IR beam does not immediately sever the beak, but burns the beak tissue in the treated area so that it dies and falls off up to 3 weeks later.
Scottish Government Consultation: Beak trimming of laying hens
Consultation on castration and tail docking of lambs
Monday, 22 March 2010 13:45
We believe that routine painful mutilations such as castration and tail-docking of food animals are out of step with modern standards of respect for animal welfare and would like to see the Scottish Government, the industry and food retailers taking urgent measures to phase them out entirely.
Consultation on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses
Wednesday, 10 March 2010 15:57
We believe that a complete ban on wild animals in travelling circuses (both terms as defined in the Impact Assessment) is extremely desirable and indeed, overdue.
Consultation on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses January 2010
Consultation on the hot branding of equines in Scotland
Tuesday, 05 January 2010 00:00
We are grateful for the opportunity to respond to the consultation on the hot branding of equines in Scotland. We agree with the statement in the consultation letter that the case for hot branding has been considerably weakened by the requirement under Commission Regulation (EC) No. 504/2008 for all horses and ponies to be microchipped since July 2009. We are pleased that the Scottish Government is following the advice of the British Veterinary Association (BVA), that hot branding is undoubtedly a painful process, is unacceptable as a means of identifying certain breeds, and should be banned on welfare grounds.
Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill
Friday, 04 September 2009 00:00
We welcome the proposals for new measures to modernise certain parts of wildlife legislation and is pleased to submit the following response. We wish to draw attention to our response to Question 64 on the creation of a new offence of tampering with a legally set snare. We feel that this proposal sits ill with the general principles of the consultation, which is generally concerned with the protection of wildlife. We believe it is inappropriate to criminalise individuals for attempting to assist suffering wild animals, particularly when offences of vandalism and malicious mischief are more than adequate to deal with any possible malicious interference with property.
Follow-up to Natural Justice
Friday, 07 August 2009 00:00
We receive approximately 300 specific reports and complaints from the public each year about the welfare of animals. Approximately 50% of these concern wild animals. We carry out a limited number of investigations resulting from these calls, as well as in support of our campaigns to improve the welfare of wild animals. Our Investigations Officer operates according to organisational protocols that require him to work with and help the police in any way he/she can to combat wildlife crime in Scotland.
Scottish Natural Heritage consultation on protecting Scotland's red squirrels
Monday, 03 August 2009 00:00
The strategy under consultation only concerns grey squirrel control, which is not the only action required to protect red squirrels. We are also concerned by the emphasis on killing grey squirrels as the primary means of controlling these animals, and we believe that alternatives such as habitat management should be given the greatest priority.
Consultation on proposals for welfare of racing greyhounds regulations
Wednesday, 01 July 2009 00:00
We welcome the opportunity to respond to DEFRA’s consultation on proposals for welfare of racing greyhounds regulations. Although we would ultimately like to see an end to this exploitation of animals, until that time we welcome measures to improve the welfare of the animals involved.
Consultation on proposals for welfare of racing greyhounds regulations
Red Squirrel Strongholds Consultation
Friday, 26 June 2009 00:00
We agree with the rationale and justification for strongholds. We oppose the killing (‘controlling’) of grey squirrels in an attempt to help conserve red squirrels. Thus we support the general idea of strongholds but we do not agree with grey squirrels being killed in or around them.
Consultation on FAWC: ‘A long term strategy for farm animal welfare in Great Britain – ethical principles & welfare assessment, surveillance and standards’
Friday, 12 June 2009 00:00
Historically, FAWC has been a pioneer in the UK and also a model internationally. However, farmed animal welfare in the UK is still much less than adequate, let alone optimal, and some sectors or practices remain completely unacceptable. For the future, we believe that there are a number of (interrelated) changes in approach that are necessary if FAWC is to achieve an adequate level of welfare for farmed animals, and we would like to see the 20-year strategy incorporate these changes.
Consultation on a long term strategy for farm animal welfare in Great Britain
Marine (Scotland) Bill - Rural Affairs and Environment Committee Call for Views: Stage 1
Thursday, 11 June 2009 00:00
We welcome the opportunity to submit comments to the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee on the Marine (Scotland) Bill. Our submission focuses on Part 5 of the Bill, referring to conservation of seals. There are around 182,000 grey seals Halichoerus grypus in the UK, representing approximately 36 per cent of the world’s population: around 89% of these breed in Scottish waters. Around 35,000-41,000 common or harbour seals Phoca vitulina also live in the waters around Scotland, equating to around 85% of the UK population: this in turn amounts to over a third of the European sub-species1. The presence of these internationally-significant populations places a special duty on Scotland to protect and conserve them. In recent years, however, the common seal population has been in severe decline in Scotland.
Marine (Scotland) Bill - Rural Affairs and Environment Committee Call for Views: Stage 1
FAWC Consultation on Mutilations and Environmental Enrichment for Growing Pigs
Tuesday, 21 April 2009 00:00
We welcome the opportunity to submit comments on the welfare implications of mutilations for growing pigs and the effect of environmental enrichment. For each mutilation we outline:
- The evidence for pain and distress caused by the procedure and possibilities to reduce this;
- The existence of any alternatives that could replace the procedure;
- A brief description of why the practice is considered necessary;
- The role of environmental enrichment and other management and husbandry practices in eliminating the perceived need for the mutilation;
- The current situation in the UK in terms of the extent of the practice, the legislative framework and housing and management conditions.
FAWC Consultation on Mutilations and Environmental Enrichment for Growing Pigs
Scottish Government Consultation on the Proposal for a Council Regulation on the Protection of Animals at the Time of Killing
Tuesday, 07 April 2009 00:00
We welcome the opportunity to comment on the proposal for a Council Regulation on the protection of animals at the time of killing. Our responses to key questions in the consultation are set out below.
Proposal for a Council Regulation on the Protection of Animals at the Time of Killing
Scottish Government Consultation on Proposed Legislation for Broiler Chickens
Monday, 06 April 2009 00:00
We welcome the opportunity to comment on the proposed Regulations for the welfare of broiler chickens. We are strongly opposed to the inclusion of the option for producers to stock at levels above 33kg/m2. Whilst it is welcome that the new Regulations will place legal limits on stocking density for the first time, we believe that the densities permitted by the EU Directive are much too high.
Scottish Government Consultation on Proposed Legislation for Broiler Chickens
DEFRA Consultation on Proposed Legislation and Codes for Broiler Chickens
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 00:00
We welcome the opportunity to comment on the proposed Regulations and revised Code for the welfare of broiler chickens. We are strongly opposed to the inclusion of the option for producers to stock up to a maximum of 42kg/m2. Indeed, we are very disappointed that Defra has chosen not to give serious consideration to the question of whether the option for producers to stock up to a maximum of 39kg/m2 should be provided.
DEFRA Consultation on Proposed Legislation and Codes for Broiler Chickens
Consultation on the Future for Food in Scotland
Friday, 25 April 2008 00:00
We welcome the opportunity to contribute to the consultation on a national food policy for Scotland. We support the view that Scotland must aim to guarantee a future where food is wholesome, healthy and produced in an environmentally- and animal-welfare-friendly way. We believe the provision of verifiable standards of good animal welfare is not only an ethical imperative, but also adds value for consumers. We therefore believe that achieving high standards of animal welfare should be central to a national food policy for Scotland.
Consultation for a proposed Control of Dogs (Scotland) Bill
Monday, 14 April 2008 00:00
We welcome the proposal to modernise the law on dangerous dogs and finds much to support in the consultation paper. We welcome the proposal to modernise the law on dangerous dogs and finds much to support in the consultation paper. While most dogs are docile and well-trained, all have the potential to show aggression. The legislation needs to protect the public from dogs owned by careless, negligent or criminal individuals, while at the same time providing a regime that is relatively light-touch for the majority of owners, who do take responsibility for their dogs. Our responses to the consultation questions are given below.
Renewing the Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture
Friday, 14 March 2008 00:00
We represent the welfare interests of all animals. Our objects are the advancement of animal welfare, the protection of animals from cruelty and the prevention of suffering. The sentient animals used in aquaculture are the industry’s primary resource - and good animal welfare standards should be absolutely fundamental. Animal welfare must occupy at least as high a priority in aquaculture as it does in the farming of terrestrial animals.
Consultation on Draft Strategy for Wild Deer in Scotland
Friday, 01 February 2008 00:00
We believe a duty of care for wild deer should be laid down in legislation. A code has an important role to play in explaining the practical implications of the legislation although such a code should be seen as supplementing legislation, not as a substitute for it.
Response to public consultation on Draft Strategy for Wild Deer in Scotland
Consultation on the use, sale, distribution and possession of electronic training aids
Monday, 12 November 2007 00:00
We are not in favour of any training method or device which depends on punishment rather than positive reinforcement, and we would advise against the use of any aversive technique, on ethical grounds.
Consultation on the use, sale, distribution and possession of electronic training aids
Consultation on amendments to the Scottish Executive General Licenses under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981
Friday, 06 April 2007 00:00
We understand the rationale for arranging licences so that they are defined in terms of function rather than method, and we think that the grouping within the numerical list is logical. We have no difficulty with the division of topics for the licences and their general content, although we have a few queries about the drafting of some, as will be mentioned with regard to the specific licences.
Consultation on General Licenses under the Wildlife and Countryside Act
Consultation on proposed prohibited procedures (exemptions) (Scotland) regulations 2007
Friday, 01 December 2006 00:00
We are grateful for the opportunity to comment on the proposed regulations. We support the premise of Section 20 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 that it should be an offence to mutilate an animal, that is, “to interfere with the sensitive tissues or bone structure of an animal”. We welcome the Scottish Executive’s adherence to the principle that dogs should not have their tails docked except for over-riding therapeutic reasons. In our view this principle should apply equally to other animals.
Consultation on proposed prohibited procedures regulations 2007
Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill - Submission to Environment and Rural Development Committee
Tuesday, 17 October 2006 00:00
We are grateful to the Environment and Rural Development Committee for the opportunity to give evidence on the above Bill. Fish and other non-mammals lack the part of the neural mechanism that generates the subjective experience of suffering (the neocortex), and it has recently been argued on that basis that fish could not suffer. However, it is now widely recognised by scientists that fish have the capacity for suffering, although it may be different in degree and kind from the human experience.
Consultation on the proposed amendment to the Welfare of Animals Regulations 1995: Use of Gas as a killing method for birds outside of a slaughter house
Monday, 02 October 2006 00:00
We welcome the consultation on the proposed amendment to the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995, to provide for the use of gas as a method of killing large numbers of birds under certain specific conditions. We note that the use of gas is already permitted for killing birds outside of a slaughterhouse, for disease control purposes, but not for situations that may arise as a result of disease control measures (such as movement restrictions), or other emergencies (such as flooding).
Consultation on proposed amendment to the Welfare of Animals Regulations 1995
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