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Equine Welfare: A Resolution Aims to Improve the Lives of Horses, Donkeys, and Mules in Europe
On March 14, 2017, the European Parliament adopted an ambitious resolution on owner responsibilities and the care of equines*. This resolution paves the way for higher standards...
Imported horse meat: A new EU regulation could exacerbate the suffering of horses
Six international animal protection organizations* are calling for a ban on imports into Europe and Switzerland of horse meat from horses slaughtered in the Americas. Backed by...
Research: Chickens are intelligent animals—let's get that straight!
This week, an American scientist published a summary of all available knowledge on intelligence, social behavior, and emotions in chickens. This overview reveals a bird that is...
Surgical castration of pigs: Will Europe succeed in banning this practice by 2018?
The phase-out of surgical castration of piglets in the European Union is, in theory, just around the corner. In two years, this painful procedure is expected to be banned in pig...
Endangered Species: The 17th Conference of the Parties to CITES—A Mix of Successes and Disappointments
The 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife (CITES) was held from September 24 to October 4, 2016, in Sou...
Export of Live Animals: The FVE Once Again Takes a Stand Against Long-Distance Transport
Each year, more than 3 million animals are exported from the European Union to third countries. With more than 80,000 head of cattle last year, France is the leading European ex...
Animal Health and Animal Welfare: WOAH and the OECD Aim to Tackle Future Challenges Together
On September 7, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) signed a memorandum of understanding that es...
Brachycephalic Breeds: The English Bulldog, a Victim of Its Own Success
The lack of genetic diversity in the English Bulldog is a cause for concern regarding the breed’s future. A recent study* of the genetic makeup of 102 registered English Bulldog...
Animal Transport: Brussels Calls for Greater Oversight of Animal Welfare
In a letter* dated June 30, the European Commission draws the attention of veterinarians and exporters to the conditions that must be met for animal transport to third countries...
2016 Ufaw Award: Research on the devastating effects of the “hypertype” in brachycephalic dogs and on canine epilepsy honored
Rowena Packer, a postdoctoral researcher at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), is the recipient of the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) award, which recognizes...
Adoption from the SPA: The prohibition on reselling the animal is not an unfair term
The clause included in the contracts that the Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA) requires animal adopters to sign—prohibiting them from selling the animal without the S...
In Berlin, dog owners must now obtain a dog license
In the German capital, prospective dog owners will first have to obtain an Animal ownership license, which is issued following a theoretical and practical test. According to the...
Eurobarometer: An Analysis of Europeans’ Attitudes Toward Animal Welfare
This in-depth thematic study on animal welfare, commissioned and published on March 15, 2016, by the European Commission, surveyed 27,672 citizens from the 28 Member States, inc...
One Health: A First European Law Links Animal Welfare, Animal Health, and Public Health
With some 1,000 amendments and nearly 150 articles, the European Animal Health Law is the result of a colossal and long-term effort. This comprehensive legislative overhaul aims...
Horse Meat: A Latin American Investigation Reveals Unsafe Slaughter Practices and Animal Abuse
A new investigation into the origin of horse meat intended for export to the European Union—primarily via Belgium—was conducted in Argentina and Uruguay in March and April 2015...
Pets: The European Parliament Calls for Stepped-Up Efforts to Combat the Trafficking of Dogs and Cats
On February 25, the European Parliament adopted a resolution to combat the illegal trade in pets within the European Union. It formally calls on the Commission to take measures...
Wildlife Trafficking: Brussels Adopts a Five-Year Action Plan
On February 26 in Brussels, the European Commission presented a European action plan to combat wildlife trafficking, which also aims to strengthen the EU’s role in the fight aga...
Endurance: The United Arab Emirates Signs the Memorandum of Understanding Proposed by the FEI
In light of last year’s abuses, which led to the cancellation of world-class events held in the Emirates and subsequently to the suspension of the Emirati national federation, t...
Electric collars: Fear Is Not an Effective Tool for Dog Training
In response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on electronic dog training aids, which closed on January 29, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the British Small...
Animal Welfare: New Zealand Bans Individual Metal Stalls for Sows
December 3, 2015, is an important date for New Zealand pigs. Today marks the day the ban on crates used for breeding sows goes into effect in New Zealand, following a five-year...
Wildlife Trafficking: Brussels Launches a Future European Action Plan
The Commission is proposing a European Action Plan to Combat Wildlife Trafficking* at the EU level. The roadmap for this project calls for concerted action against this form of...
Bullfighting: 64% of MEPs Vote to End Subsidies for Bull Breeding
On October 28, 438 of the 687 Members of the European Parliament gathered for a plenary session voted in favor of ending European agricultural subsidies for bullfighting. With n...
Animal Welfare on the Agenda of Luxembourg’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union
On July 1, Luxembourg assumed the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months. Eurogroup for Animals promptly published a memorandum on animal welfar...
Stress in Cats: Its Symptoms Have a Negative Impact on Their Well-Being and Health
A team of Spanish veterinarians* examined the stress-related changes in feline behavior most frequently observed in clinical practice. They explored the effects of stress on cat...
European Union: Cloning of All Animal Species Raised for Agricultural Purposes to Be Banned Soon
A legislative proposal by the European Commission, aimed at banning the cloning of Livestock in the EU, was approved by the Parliament’s Environment and Agriculture Committees o...
Endangered Species: Expanded Protection for Captive Chimpanzees in the United States
The approximately 2,000 chimpanzees held in captivity in the United States now join their wild cousins as an “endangered” species, rather than merely “threatened,” according to...
Equine Welfare: Toward Legislation Tailored to Horses, Donkeys, and Mules in Europe
With an annual turnover of 100 billion euros, the European equine sector is thriving. However, the same cannot be said for all seven million equines, which are unevenly distribu...
Managing Stray Dogs: European Veterinarians on the Front Lines
Promoting veterinary leadership in the control of stray dogs in Europe: this is the joint position* adopted on May 22 by the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE), the Uni...
Animal Health and Welfare: WOAH Adopts New Global Standards and Guidelines
The resolutions adopted by the Annual General Assembly of Delegates of the WOAH cover all aspects of the international animal health situation, from the control of priority dise...
Retailer Walmart is requiring its suppliers to improve animal welfare and reduce the use of antibiotics
Walmart, the American retail giant, now requires its suppliers to improve animal welfare conditions and limit the use of antibiotics to the treatment of diseases. It thus joins...
Equine Welfare: Great Britain Enacts Legislation to Curb Abandonment and Unsupervised Grazing
Following Wales in January 2014, England recently passed a law on May 26, 2015, aimed at combating horses, ponies, and donkeys that stray on land or pastures without authorizati...
Animal Welfare: New Zealand Recognizes Animals as Sentient Beings
A bill amending the Animal Welfare Act of 1999 explicitly recognizes that animals are sentient beings capable of experiencing emotions—both positive and negative—such as pain or...
Horse Welfare: The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) Launches Two Pilot Projects, One in the U.K. and One in Morocco
The Beva Trust has partnered with the British Horse Society (BHS) and the Moroccan Society for the Protection of Animals and Nature (Spana) to carry out two initiatives aimed at...
Horse Meat: A New Case of Fraud Uncovered in Europe
An organized criminal network that was selling horse meat unfit for human consumption in the European Union has just been dismantled. Joint action by the countries involved, wit...
Horse Meat Scandal: Two and a Half Years in Prison for Dutch Wholesaler
The prosecutor had sought a five-year prison sentence; Willy Selten was sentenced to two and a half years. The Dutch trader behind the infamous “beef-to-horse lasagna” fraud was...
Horse Welfare: Better Understanding Herd Dynamics in the Pasture
The behavior of horses during grazing often seems mysterious to humans. Sometimes, a simple movement of the ear or tail is enough for a horse to “communicate” with the entire he...
Pain management is central to canine veterinary practice
Advances in pain management for pets have led the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) and the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) to update their guideli...
Horse Meat Scandal: Wholesaler Faces Five Years in Prison
Accused of selling 330 metric tons of horse meat as beef, Dutch trader Willy Selten has been on trial since March 24. Two years after his arrest, he is being prosecuted for forg...
Boxing is a source of stress for horses
While stall housing is the predominant system for housing horses, this method limits social interactions and forces them to live in semi-isolation. A study* shows that the lack...
Slaughter: Brussels Is Called Upon to Respond to Violations of EU Regulations
The European Parliament’s Intergroup on the Welfare and Conservation of Animals, during its 310th session in Strasbourg, called on the Commission to ban as soon as possible meth...
Stricter Penalties for Owners of Dangerous Dogs in the U.K.
Across the Channel, a dog owner who trains his or her animal to attack and causes someone’s death now faces a sentence of up to fourteen years in prison, under new guidelines pu...
Fur-bearing animals: The Netherlands lodges a complaint with Brussels over their slaughter conditions
The Dutch delegation submitted a note in preparation for the upcoming European Council (Agriculture and Fisheries) meeting on March 16, 2015. In it , the delegation condemns cas...
Endurance: The FEI Takes Strong Action by Suspending the UAE Federation
After years of impunity—or even immunity—in endurance riding, the national federation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been suspended indefinitely by the International Eque...
Feline Identification: Quebec Veterinarians Take Action
Hundreds of thousands of cats roam outside homes in Quebec. This is the warning issued by Quebec veterinarians on the eve of another day of cat sterilization. As part of this ca...
The plight of the workhorse calls for increased international aid
The British organization World Horse Welfare (WHW) has committed to doubling the number of horses it helps worldwide by the end of 2017. To meet this challenge, it is launching...
Animal Welfare: British Cats Fall Victim to Air Guns
Across the Channel, 4 out of 10 veterinarians have treated cats with serious, sometimes life-threatening injuries caused by air guns in the past year, according to a survey cond...
Endurance: The FEI Finally Takes Action Against the Gulf Emirates by Canceling International Races
What a turnaround! In world endurance races, impunity was the norm when it came to cheating or doping as long as it involved a member of a Gulf team. However, under pressure fro...
The importation of hunting trophies from six endangered species is prohibited in Europe
On February 5, the European Union implemented new, stricter rules to ban the import of hunting trophies from six endangered species: the African lion and elephant, the polar bea...