Animal Plant Health Agency
This guide provides advice on the legislation and codes of practice designed to protect animal welfare on farms, in transport, at markets and at slaughter.
On-farm animal welfare
Specific guides on animal welfare issues are available for the following:
- Poultry farming: welfare regulations
- Laying hens: welfare regulations
- Broiler chickens and breeder chickens: welfare regulations
- Pig farming: welfare regulations
- Sheep and goats: welfare regulations
- Beef cattle and dairy cows: welfare regulations
- Deer farming: health and welfare
See also:
- Poultry welfare off the farm
- Livestock at farm shows and markets: welfare regulations
- Slaughter of livestock: welfare regulations
- Animal welfare in severe weather
- Animal welfare legislation: protecting pets
Gamebirds
The code of practice for the welfare of gamebirds was approved by Parliament and came into force in January 2011. The code provides game farmers with information on how to meet the welfare needs of their animals, as required under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. It can also be used in courts as evidence in cases brought before them relating to poor welfare of gamebirds.
Fish
In addition to the general requirements of the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 we are working towards further improvements in fish welfare by other means.
The Council of Europes Standing Committee on the welfare of animals kept for farming purposes adopted a recommendation on fish in December 2005. Defras research and development programme includes projects on certain aspects of fish welfare. We will use the findings to support our objective to ensure high standards of fish welfare.
Ducks and geese
The welfare of ducks and geese is protected by the general requirements of the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. There is also a Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Ducks, which continues to apply under the new Animal Welfare Act.
Rabbits
The welfare of rabbits is protected by the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. Schedule 9 of these regulations contains specific conditions that apply to the keeping of rabbits. There is also a Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Rabbits, which continues to apply under the new Animal Welfare Act.
As there is no longer an industry body for commercial rabbit keepers, we would welcome commercial farmers contacting us via: animal.welfare@defra.gov.uk to give their details for future consultation.
Turkeys
The welfare of turkeys are protected by the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. There is also a Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Turkeys which continues to apply under the new Animal Welfare Act.
Ratites (emu, ostrich, rhea)
The farming of emu, ostrich and rhea (ratites) caters for a niche market in the UK. The welfare of ratites are protected by the general requirements in the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. There are also Council of Europe recommendations on the welfare of farmed ratites which offer guidance on the standards that should apply.
The existing Codes of Recommendations for the welfare of livestock continue to apply, however, with the introduction of the Act and the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007, the references to the legislation throughout the code are now out of date. Whilst the vast majority of the 2000 regulations are replicated by the 2007 regulations, you should check the legislation as it currently stands.
Legislation
The Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the 2006 Act) is the principal law relating to animal welfare.
Owners and keepers have a duty of care to their animals and must make sure they meet their needs:
- for a suitable environment and place to live
- for a suitable diet
- to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
- to be housed with, or apart from, other animals (if applicable)
- to be protected from pain, injury, suffering and disease
Anyone who does not provide for an animals welfare needs may:
- be banned from owning animals
- face an unlimited fine
- be sent to prison for up to 6 months
The 2006 Act also sets out offences relating to cruelty and animal fighting. The maximum sentence for these offences is 5 years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.
Animal cruelty includes:
- causing unnecessary suffering to an animal
- mutilation
- docking the tail of a dog except where permitted
- poisoning an animal
The 2006 Act applies to all vertebrate animals.
The welfare of farmed animals is additionally protected by The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 (as amended), which are made under the Animal Welfare Act.
The welfare of all farmed animals is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal. The Act also contains a duty of care to animals - anyone responsible for an animal must take reasonable steps to make sure the animals welfare needs are met.
The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 set minimum standards for all farm animals. These regulations replaced the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2000 on 1 October 2007. The new regulations are made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and are very similar to the previous regulations.
The Welfare of Animals at Markets Order 1990 (WAMO) contains rules covering the treatment of animals in markets to ensure they are not caused injury or unnecessary suffering. They also set out detailed arrangements in respect of penning, food and water and the care of young animals. Responsibility for enforcing WAMO rests with local councils.
The welfare of farmed animals is additionally protected by the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 as amended (S.I. 2007 No.2078), which are made under the Animal Welfare Act.
- Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007
- Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2010
These regulations continue to implement EU directives on the welfare of calves, pigs, laying hens, conventionally reared meat chickens and a g