Protecting Animal Welfare

Question 1

What is the animal welfare act 2006?

Answer 1

• Offence under the act to cause any unnecesary suffering to any animal
• contains a duty of care
• legislation is based on the five freedoms

Question 2

What is the welfare of farmed animals act?

Answer 2

– regulations are made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006
– replaced the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2000 on 1st October 2007

Question 3

What is the farm animal welfare regulation?

Answer 3

The person responsible for the farmed animals must have significant knowledge
* It contains a variety of descriptions on how to look after animals in a variety of situations
* regulation requires stock-keepers to have access to relevant welfare codes whilst attending to the animals and employees are acquanited with relevant codes
* guidance on the codes may include formal training or on-the-job training/ supervision

Question 4

What does the welfare of animals at market order 1990 cover?

Answer 4

Covers the treatment of animals in market to ensure avoidance of injury or unnecesary suffering
also sets out detailed arrangements in respect of penning, food, water and the care of young animals

Question 5

What are the rules surrounding handling and tying of animals?

Answer 5

• no person shall handle an animal in a market by lifting it off the ground, dragging it
  along the ground, suspending it clear of the ground, handling by the head, neck, ears,
  horns, legs, feet, tail, fleece or wing.
• Calves should not be muzzled; poultry should not be tied by neck, leg or wing.
• No person shall wantonly or unreasonably annoy any animal in a market

Question 6

What may an inspector do to an animal at a market if it’s deemed unfit?

Answer 6

• An inspector that finds any animal in a market is unfit may move it, or cause it to be
  moved, to a pen provided in the market for the accommodation of unfit animals
  pending its examination by a veterinary inspector.

Question 7

What happens when you breach a code from the farm animal welfare regulations?

Answer 7

• It is not an offence in itself but can be used in court to establish liability

Question 8

What are the rules of selling pregnant animals at market

Answer 8

No person shall permit an animal to be exposed for sale in a market if it is likely to give birth while it is there

Question 9

What are the rules surrounding animals at market and suffering?

Answer 9

It shall be the duty of any person in charge of an animal in a market to ensure that the animal is
not, or is not likely to be, caused injury or unnecessary suffering by reason of—
(a)the animal being exposed to the weather;
(b)inadequate ventilation being available for the animal;
(c)the animal being hit or prodded by any instrument or other thing; or
(d)any other cause.

Question 10

Who can treat/ take the neccesary steps at market to ensure that the animal is protected from suffering

Answer 10

The veterinary inspector

Question 11

Who can give approval of a detained animal at market to be moved?

Answer 11

The veterinary inspector

Question 12

What is the duty of the market operator?

Answer 12

• ensure that no animal is kept in a pen, cage or hutch which is unsuitable for its size/ the species of animal
• species need to be separated frrom other species
• doors must be of sufficient size
• animals should not be kept in overcrowded housing
• fractious animals should be separated to avoid harm

Question 13

What is the market welfare surrounding water/feed?

Answer 13

• adequate watering as much as is neccesary
• food provided before 9pm on the day of arrival or immediately if it arrives after 9pm
• fed at least once in each complete 12 hour period

Question 14

What is the provision of lighting and bedding in the market?

Answer 14

• adequate lighting to enable them to be inspected, fed and watered
• suitable bedding provided for any calves, dairy cattle in milk, or goats in milk

Question 15

What year did WATOK come in?

Answer 15

2013

Question 16

What is Watok?

Answer 16

The business operator must ensure that the condition and state of health of every
animal is inspected at least every morning and evening.
* Animals which have experienced pain or suffering and unweaned animals, must
ensure that the following animals are killed immediately.
* This responsibility lies with the business operator and any person engaged in the
movement or lairaging of animals.
* There is a larger range of activities covered under the Certificate of Competence
which all staff members need to have now.
* CCTV equipment must provide a complete and clear view of killing and related
operations in all areas of the slaughterhouse where live animals are present, such
as areas where they are unloaded, kept, handled, stunned and killed, up to the
point where the assessment for absence of life is carried out

Question 17

What are some of the responsibilities of the business operator at an abbatoir?

Answer 17

• ensuring that the equipment is suitable
• plavce of killing is sited as such to minimise the handling of the animal
• sufficient number of pens at the slaughterhouse
• lairage has adequate ventilation
• equipment for unloading animals is at a suitable height

Question 18

How do you undertake religious slaughter?

Answer 18

• knife must be undamaged, sharp and large enough for the animal to be slaughtered
• for any animal there must be back-up stunning equipment close to the restraining equipment for when the animal has been injured or is unavoidable pain

Question 19

What knife must you use for religious slaughter?

Answer 19

• a hand-held knife that’s sharp and large enough for the animal you’re slaughtering
• rapid, uninterrupted movements of the knife

Question 20

How long must you bleed each animal species for before moving?

Answer 20

• 30 seconds for cattle
• 20 seconds for sheep or goats
• After you bleed a bird, you or your equipment must restrain it and wait at least:
• 2 minutes for turkeys or geese
• 90 seconds for any other bird

Question 21

Who carries out welfare inspections on farms?

Answer 21

APHA
* they also carry out enforcement checks at markets, ports, roadside and at supervised loadings

Question 22

What is the transport of all live invertebrate animals for the purposes of economic activity ie business or trade implemented by?

Answer 22

It is implemented by the welfare of animals transport order 2006

Question 23

What do you need if you are to transport animals as part of economic activity or a distance over 65km?

Answer 23

➢ type 1 transporter authorisation
for journeys over 65km and up
to 8 hours
➢ type 2 transporter authorisation
for journeys over 8 hours

Question 24

How long are transporter authorisations valid for and who provides them?

Answer 24

transporter authorisations are valid for up to 5 years and they are provided by APHA’s welfare in transport team

Question 25

What is the training recquired for an animal transporter in journeys less than 65km?

Answer 25

• Doesn’t require formal qualifications
• skills can be gained via on the job instruction and practical experience
• training covers- fitness to travel, means of transport ad use of facilities
• documentation

Question 26

What certification is required to be an animal transporter above 65km

Answer 26

• theory test
• practical assesment of competence including animal handling and driving skills for journeys over 8 hours

Question 27

When may an animal not be considered fit to travel?

Answer 27

• injured, fatigued, has given birth within 48 hours
• you can only transport an unfit animal if you are taking it to a veterinary surgeon
• shorn sheep during cold weather
• heavily-pregnant females
• new-born mammals where the naval has not completely healed