THE WELSH Government has committed to ‘restricting’ the use of cages for farmed animals in a new five-year plan for animal welfare.
The report said it hoped to work with the UK and Scottish governments on the matter, to have a unified approach to future legal restrictions.
See also: Free-range egg farm trials bacteria to improve shed environment
And that it would first undertake a ‘scoping exercise’ over the next two years to establish the types of cages currently in use.
The UK government has said it is ‘considering the case’ for reforming the law surrounding caged hens and may tie a shift away from colony production into its plan to introduce payments for higher welfare production.
The Welsh government also said it would strengthen its animal welfare inspection regime, require CCTV in all slaughterhouses by 2023/2024 and develop a national model for animal welfare regulation.
‘More to do’
Launching the plan, Welsh minister for Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, said: “I’m very proud of what has already been achieved in Wales in animal welfare.
“But there is more to do.
“Our long-term ambition is for every animal in Wales to have a good quality of life.
“Today’s plan outlines steps towards achieving that ambition.
“We will work with all partners to take forward our commitments.
“This includes further boosting protection for pets by looking at registration of animal welfare establishments, enhancing the much-valued animal welfare inspection profession through improved qualifications, and looking at how we can minimise the use of cages for farmed animals.”
