Animal justice a shared task, says Georgie Purcell

Our laws will finally acknowledge that animals feel and perceive their environment, says Animal Justice MP Georgie Purcell.

Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell at Lake Connewarre near Geelong, protesting against duck hunting last season. Picture: Brad Fleet

Victoria’s draft Animal Care and Protection Bill focuses on care, and ultimately stopping cruelty from occurring in the first place, says Georgie Purcell.

Our state’s animal protection laws are no longer fit for purpose, and their modernisation should be welcomed by all Victorians – whether they live in the city, in the country, are a primary producer or a vegan like myself.

When the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act was first written, it had a focus on punishing cruelty.

It specifies offences for cruelty and aggravated cruelty, singling out unreasonable pain and suffering or obvious failures to animals: such as not providing adequate food, water, shelter or veterinary treatment.

It hasn’t been updated since 1986 – before I was even born.

In that time, there has been a lot we have learned about animals and our views as a society on how they should be treated and the lives they deserve to live has rapidly changed.

We know that whether they are a beloved pet or a farmed animal, they all have the capacity to feel happiness, pain, joy and suffering – and it’s time our laws reflected that.

That’s why the proposed Animal Care and Protection Bill focuses on care, and ultimately stopping cruelty from occurring in the first place.

New care requirements propose minimum standards for ample nutrition, an enriching physical environment, good health and behavioural interactions: something that all, not just some, animals deserve.

It could mean that pigs are provided nest building materials, or that chickens are able to dust bathe and ducks are free to swim. These are basic provisions that allow animals to express their natural instincts: something that many Victorians could be forgiven for assuming were already in place, and certainly never should have been excluded.

Almost every day in my role, I hear about a new case of cruelty or neglect to animals.

It’s clear that voluntary guidelines do little to improve the lived experience of animals, and enshrining the duty to care for them is an overdue and important step.

This is not an action that seeks to punish. Instead, its purpose is to ensure animals are protected.

It will do so by finally acknowledging and explicitly recognising animal sentience.

This is not a new legislative concept, with animal sentience already being legislated in Denmark, France and New Zealand.

Now after years of caring people and scientists speaking up for Victorian animals, our laws will finally acknowledge that animals feel and perceive their environment.

It will recognise that like us, they experience a range of positive and negative emotions, including pleasure, and pain.

Acknowledging sentience will provide consideration to the decisions we make about animals. It does not offer them personhood, as some who seek to instil fear may say.

Instead it simply acknowledges that we have come a long way in our understanding and appreciation of animals – specifically the unique ways in which they communicate, feel, and survive.

This bill will simply reflect the animal care and protection standards that are now expected by Victorians.

It provides an opportunity for animal protection and farming communities to work together to create a kinder world for animals, and that to me, is an opportunity we should all enthusiastically accept.

Georgie Purcell is the Animal Justice Party’s member of Victoria’s Legislative Council.