Animal Related Legislation

Question 1

The Animal Welfare Act 2006

Answer 1

• The Animal Welfare Act 2006 contains the general laws relating to animal welfare.
• It is an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal • The Act contains a Duty of Care to animals
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What the Act mean for those responsible for animals
Must provide for the 5 welfare needs:
• need for a suitable environment
• need for a suitable diet
• need to be able to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
• need to be housed with, or apart, from other animals
• need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

Question 2

1. Need for a suitable environment.

Answer 2

• For example rabbits need lots of space, and constant access to an area where they can run.
• Comfortable temperatures can range between –15°C to +25°C for healthy adult cattle
• Rabbits will need extra bedding in the winter and access to shaded areas in the summer.

Question 3

water requirements for pigs weighing Up to 20 kgs

Answer 3

1.5-2.0l

Question 4

water requirements for pigs weighing Up to 30-40kgs

Answer 4

2.0-5.0l

Question 5

water requirements for pigs weighing Up to 100kgs

Answer 5

5.0-6.0 l

Question 6

DEFRA daily water requirements for

Sows and gilts (lactation)

Answer 6

15-30 l

Question 7

Need for a suitable diet.

Answer 7

Ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
• Young, pregnant, lactating, and old animals all have different requirements for their diet.

Question 8

Need to exhibit normal behaviour patterns.

Answer 8

Normal behaviour patterns will be different between animal species. • Rabbits will need to exhibit behaviours such as running, hopping,
digging etc.
• Grow-finish pigs usually spend 20 to 30 minutes drinking per day, with 15 to 30 seconds for each drink.

Question 9

Need to be housed with, or apart, from

other animals.

Answer 9

• Each species is different in relation to what their appropriate social grouping is.
• Some pets, such as the Syrian hamster, should live on his or her own.

Question 10

Need to be protected from pain, suffering,

injury and disease.

Answer 10

• Suitable preventative measures should be taken taken to reduce the risk of illness.
• Pet owners need to ensure pets are kept warm in the winter, and cool in the summer.
• Owner’s responsibility to ensure their animals receives the appropriate veterinary care when required.

Question 11

four main diseases that your dog can be vaccinated against.

Answer 11

• Parvovirus
• Canine distemper
• Leptospirosis
• Infectious canine hepatitis (ICH).

Question 12

Cattle vaccines

Answer 12

Blackleg, 
tetanus, ‘
husk’ (lungworm disease), 
rotavirus, 
infectious bovine rhinotracheictis (IBR), 
respiratory syncytial virus, 
pasteurellosis, 
enteritis, 
leptospirosis, 
mastitis, 
ringworm, 
BVD, 
PI3, 
coronavirus, 
salmonella, 
E Coli.

Question 13

Sheep and goat vaccines

Answer 13

Clostridial diseases (8 different species including tetanus),
pasteurellosis,
ovine abortion (chlamydiosis and toxoplasmosis),
louping ill,
contagious pustular dermatitis (orf),
footrot

Question 14

Pig vaccines

Answer 14

Erysipelas, 
parvovirus, 
colibacillosis, 
clostridial disease, 
atrophic rhinitis, 
, porcine pneumonia, 
PRRS

Question 15

Cat vaccines

Answer 15

Feline Panleucopenia/Infectious Enteritis (Feline Parvovirus, FPV)
Feline Rhinotracheitis (Feline Herpesvirus, FHV)
Feline Calicivirus (FCV)
Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV)
Chlamydophila felis
Bordetella bronchiseptica
Feline Rabies

Question 16

Codes of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock

Answer 16

• Aims to encourage all those who care for farm animals to follow the highest standards of husbandry.
• Areas covered include: stockmanship, health, feed, water and other substances, equipment, pregnancy and calving, breeding animals etc.
• Example on Equipment:
̶ Automated or mechanical equipment essential for the health and well- being of the animals shall be inspected at least once a day to check there is no defect in it.

Specific example for sheep on dehorning or disbudding:
• Dehorning or disbudding of a sheep by lay persons is against the law, except for the trimming of ingrowing horn in certain circumstances.
• Horned sheep, especially rams, should be regularly inspected to ensure that neither the tip nor any other part of the horn is in contact with the face.

Question 17

Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act

Answer 17

• Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act (ASPA) 1986 Amendment Regulations 2012.
• Protected animals - any living veterbrae other than man and any living cephalopod.
• Animals bred, supplied and used for scientific procedures are cared for in accordance with the best standards of modern animal husbandry.
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A ‘regulated procedure’ in ASPA is any test.
Regulated procedures include:
• tests, experiments and other procedures done to animals for experimental, scientific, regulatory or educational purposes
• the genetic modification of animals including their breeding

Question 18

Licensing and enforcement in Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act

Answer 18

The use of animals in research in England, Scotland and Wales is regulated by the Home Office.
• In Northern Ireland - Department for Health, Social Security and Public Safety.
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Three licences are required before testing on animals takes place:
• a personal licence for each person carrying out experiments or other procedures on animals.
• a project licence for the programme of work – this can last for several years and include permission to use thousands of animals.
• an establishment licence for the place at which the animal tests, experiments or other procedures are carried out.
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Project licences are only granted where:
• there is no suitable alternative which would avoid using animals,
• the benefits of the project outweigh the effects on the animals, and
• the number of animals involved must be minimised and they must be treated in a humane manner and any suffering minimised as far as possible.