Education is the key to animal welfare says British Horse
Society Scotland
The key to protecting animals from unnecessary suffering
is education, according to The British Horse Society Scotland
(BHSS).
Welcoming the Stage 1 debate on Animal Health and Welfare
in Scotland on Thursday 23 February, BHSS Development Officer
Helene Mauchlen said: "The Scottish Executive has taken
a well-informed, science-based approach to modernising animal
welfare law by protecting animals for decades to come.
"However, we cannot rely on legislation and prosecutions
to prevent suffering. We still need to educate the public
about how to care for animals."
As an educational charity, BHSS stands ready to help deliver
the essential information - at least as far as horses are
concerned.
Mrs Mauchlen said: "We gave evidence to the Committee
about our input to the training of local authority animal
health officers, and the Executive has acknowledged our role
in its response. We look forward to building on that."
The BHSS urged the Executive to bring out its codes of animal
welfare (proposed under Section 34 of the Bill) as soon as
practically possible.
Mrs Mauchlen said: "The key reform of the animal welfare
part is the introduction of a duty of care for animals (Section
22). Those owners who don't understand the needs of their
animals will have to learn - and those who should know about
welfare, but disregard it, will be committing an offence.
We strongly support that at the BHS.
"But enforcement of that provision will depend on the
welfare codes as the blueprint for appropriate treatment.
The BHSS is of course more than willing to help in the production
of welfare codes for horses.
Mrs Mauchlen continued: "Not everyone is aware, for
example, of the suffering that ragwort causes to horses. There
is evidence that horses are dying because this poisonous weed
is insufficiently controlled.
"We are glad that the Minister, Ross Finnie MSP, has
confirmed that an owner who allows his horse to eat ragwort
will be committing an offence under the welfare section. We
would also like him to use the codes or the new regulation-making
powers (under Section 24) to address the serious problem of
ragwort infestation."
BHSS experience shows that horses have been failed by the
current animal welfare legislation, the Protection of Animals
(Scotland) Act 1912. Horses can be left in situations of neglect
or risk for a considerable time before their condition provides
the necessary evidence that they have suffered, and can legally
be removed.
Mrs Mauchlen said: "It can be a fine line between irregular
feeding and death from starvation, or between low-level neglect
of a horse's hooves and grossly overgrown, painful, deformed
feet. The new Bill takes away the need for welfare organisations
to wait for the suffering to start, before they can act."
While welcoming the Bill, however, BHSS sounded a note of
caution on certain aspects. Part 1 of the Bill (Animal Health)
provides extensive powers for Ministers to order the slaughter
of animals in the event of an outbreak of virulent disease.
"We are all aware of the devastating consequences of
animal disease," said Mrs Mauchlen.
"But we do have a concern that slaughter powers should
be used very sparingly, and then only for susceptible animals.
Again, prevention is the key - so we welcome the proposals
for bio-security codes and for licensing of livestock markets."
While welcomed by BHSS, the licensing of markets and other
animal-related activities including the operation of livery
stables, as well as the new welfare offence, will impose financial
burdens on councils and welfare organisations charged with
enforcement.
Mrs Mauchlen said: "A new approach to animal welfare
is bound to cost money, but the BHS is sure that - with sufficient
investment in public education and training of enforcement
officers - it will pay dividends in the future."
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