Cows’ misery portrayed
PETA is at it again. It has rolled out Carly the cow to US schoolchildren, telling them of the complex emotional lives of cows and their suffering at the hands of dairy farmers and the wider industry.
“What happens at the moment if MPI is called into an animal welfare case is they cite privacy laws as the reason why they can’t contact Federated Farmers or the Rural Support Trust with the farmer’s details,” Feds national board member and spokeswoman on animal welfare Jeanette Maxwell told Rural News.
That can mean the animal welfare issue isn’t addressed as fast as it might be and the farmer doesn’t get the help he or she may need.
“Often when there’s an animal welfare issue, there’s a farmer welfare issue as well,” Maxwell points out.
The call is part of Feds’ submission on the bill, which passed its first reading in Parliament in August and is now in front of the Select Committee.
Introducing the Bill in May, Minister Nathan Guy said the bill would allow enforceable regulations on treatment of farm and domestic animals to be created. It would also give wider powers to deal with people who breach welfare laws.
“The new regulations will be developed to support our 15 codes of welfare and future codes, which cover a wide variety of animals,” he said at the time.
Codes currently developed by NAWAC will be given teeth by the Bill, which includes protections for animals being exported and those used in research.
“The vast majority of New Zealanders who take great care of their animals will hardly notice the changes made in this Bill. However there will be greater sanctions for the few who mistreat animals,” warned Guy.
Feds agrees with the need to revise the 1999 Animal Welfare Act in light of the increased number of companion animals and changes to farming practices.
Its submission supports the Bill’s goal of making rules clearer and, where required, enforceable. It also supports early targeting of offenders with compliance orders before greater harm is done.
The proposal to regulate certain animal welfare standards while retaining codes of welfare is also welcomed, as is the move to allow the minister/Ministry to set regulations in consultation with experts – without recourse to Parliament.
“Animal Welfare is not something to be debated in Parliament, where grandstanding by politicians could occur,” Feds says.
However, the Minister must be required to consult with NAWAC and primary industry groups before setting regulations.
Submissions to the Select Committee closed last week, and it is due to report on the Bill by the end of February.
The Bill supports the New Zealand Animal Welfare Strategy released by the minister earlier this year.
