萝莉视频

鈥淢Ps vote 'that animals cannot feel pain or emotions' into the Brexit bill鈥�, shouted . 鈥淢Ps vote to reject idea that animals can feel pain or emotions during Brexit bill discussions鈥�, cried . 聽

These alarming headlines spread across social media and veterinary forums like wildfire after a House of Commons vote on the EU (Withdrawal) Bill last week. Understandably, people were very upset, but what is the truth behind these statements?

The answer is that these sensationalist headlines failed to explain a more complex reality.聽

Why the recognition of animal sentience is important

The in question was tabled by Green MP Caroline Lucas, with cross-party support. It sought to enshrine into UK law an EU protocol on animal sentience which puts a duty on states to have regard for animal welfare in relation to formulating and implementing policy. Its origin is , which, because it is in a Treaty rather than in a Regulation, won鈥檛 automatically come over to UK law when we leave the EU.

It was an important vote, and 萝莉视频 fully supported the amendment. But we have to be clear that it was not a vote on whether or not animals can feel pain. Headlines suggesting that the Government MPs who voted the amendment down don鈥檛 believe in animal sentience are a misreading of the situation at best.

萝莉视频 does believe that the provisions contained in Article 13 must be brought into UK legislation. Yes, as Ministers argue, we have the Animal Welfare Acts in the four countries of the UK and they are some of the best pieces of welfare legislation in the world. But they don鈥檛 state that all animals are sentient beings, and, vitally, they don鈥檛 explicitly put the duty on the state to consider animal welfare when developing and implementing other policies. This is an important distinction.

In our statement following the vote we expressed concern that by rejecting this duty, the UK was sending the wrong message to the global community about our ongoing commitment to high animal welfare standards. And, as 萝莉视频 has continually argued, maintaining and enhancing animal welfare standards must be our trade USP post-Brexit. As animal welfare science progresses, we must have an overarching recognition in legislation of the sentience of all animals, to underpin all government policies.

Ministers have suggested that there are other ways to enshrine this concept into UK law, for example by making a statement on the floor of the House (a rather quaint way of putting into public record the Government鈥檚 intentions). But we have consulted with Mike Radford, an expert in animal welfare law at the University of Aberdeen, and when we asked if this would be sufficient his answer was an emphatic no.

Next steps

So, what do we need to do? There are myriad petitions and letters flying around the internet and members and campaigners have been in touch to ask us to support them.

The problem is many of them miss the mark in their wording and it wouldn鈥檛 be appropriate for 萝莉视频 to publicly support them. Behind the scenes, we have been lobbying Defra and raising the issue with ministers in the devolved administrations. Whatever solution we come up with must be applicable across the whole of the UK.

We will keep the pressure up through the media and lobbying activity. The next major opportunity will be when the Bill reaches the House of Lords and we will be working with our honorary associates and other Peers to push for a new amendment. We are looking at ways to harness the support of our active members and we鈥檙e grateful to everyone who has already been in touch with us to share their views.

Please share this blog and the 萝莉视频 statement with friends and colleagues. Consider . And look out for our activity via our social media and emails.

Update: 23 November

On 23 November Defra Secretary of State the Government鈥檚 position on animal sentience. In response 萝莉视频 is calling for clarity on how and when the Government intends to ensure legislative change to recognise sentience. We will continue to press the Government on this point.

More information

• Read Sean Wensley's blog: A world without animal feelings