Farm practices at risk of legal action under new animal welfare laws

Farmers are at risk of animal activist legal action as the Victorian Government moves to establish new standards demanding livestock, horse and pets can exhibit “normal’ behaviour, says The Weekly Times.

Abnormal: Farm practices that do not allow animals to exhibit “normal” behaviour are at risk of legal action under the Victorian Government’s animal welfare reforms.

FARMERS already face enough uncertainty, without adding more.

But that’s exactly what the Victorian Agriculture Minister Jaclyn Symes and her colleagues are about to do in rewriting the state’s animal welfare laws.

For the first time animals will be recognised as sentient in the new act, meaning they have emotions, such as happiness, and the ability to feel, perceive and experience what happens to them.

But while Ms Symes has told farmers such recognition would have no impact on commercial agriculture, the directions paper she released last week shows that’s not the case.

The paper calls for new legally enforceable minimum standards of care for all animals, based on the recognition of their sentience and the right to exhibit normal behaviour.

It’s not hard to imagine animal activists lining up legal action against farmers for failing to allow their livestock to engage in normal behaviour.

Activists would be sure to target dairy farmers, who separate calves from cows.

Caged-hen egg production, which was established to boost biosecurity, would be under threat.

In fact cages have already been phased out in the ACT, which is cited by Ms Symes’ directions paper as having legislation that recognises sentience and has adopted minimum standards of care.

And don’t forget hunting and pest control, where the minister has hinted at standards for handling wildlife.

Wild dog controllers are already facing increased pressure over the use of leg traps.

Then there’s the use of 1080, which the Animal Justice Party has campaigned against.

So what’s driving Ms Symes and her colleagues to introduce these reforms?

Is it simply pandering to the AJP and Greens? Or is it simply the personal passion of some Labor MPs and ministers?

Don’t expect a straight answer.