MIKEHEDGES

POLITICALLY SPEAKING

HOW we treat animals is a sign of the type of society we are and want to be. If we allow animals to be mistreated either via ignorance or due to cruelty, then it reflects badly on us as a society. We have passed a law on wild animals in circuses and as we await legislation on Lucy’s law, I want to highlight other issues relating to animal welfare and the need for codes of practice to be embedded in law and additional laws brought in to protect animals in Wales.

I do not believe that horse owners set out to mistreat their horse but unfortunately ignorance can lead to suffering. It is important that horses are not left tethered for long periods of time.

The Welsh Government’s Code of Practice for the Welfare of Horses notes that tethering is ‘not a suitable method of management of an animal,’ explicitly stating that ‘tethering should never be used as a long-term measure to control horses as this can lead to a failure to meet a horse’s basic welfare needs. However, in many instances, such statements are not acting as a deterrent to horses being tethered for long periods of time on areas with little grass, no shelter and no water. The prevalence of poor tethering practices in Wales suggests that the Code of Practice’s reference to this issue is not effective, and I have asked the

Welsh Government to conduct a project to examine more stringent guidance, change in enforcement practices and a change in legislation to better discourage and deter long-term tethering of horses. Sadly, across Wales, the RSPCA continues to receive numerous reports about horses kept in inappropriate conditions, and often tethered for long periods of time.

I welcome the work being done on a new code of practice for the keeping of rabbits in Wales and that it has been submitted to the Welsh Government in a move which could enhance the keeping of one of Wales’ more popular pets.

The British Veterinary Association, who were on the working group which devised the proposed new code, has expressed alarm that many rabbits are “falling short of having their basic health and welfare needs catered for”.

The various animal welfare charities worked together on the code, which now awaits governmental approval. Four per cent of pet-owning households in Wales have a rabbit, highlighting the significant impact an updated, refreshed code could play in providing up-to-date welfare advice to thousands of owners. I believe codes of practice are critical in supporting owners and highlighting their legal obligations to their animals and including accessible tips on the best way to keep pets happy and I want the new code of conduct embedded in law.

I am opposed to individuals keeping primates such as monkeys and support the recommendation for a new document which could set clear and specific benchmarks about the keeping of primates. Estimates suggest 120 primates are currently kept as pets in Wales. However, no governmental guidance for their keeping exists and the number is an estimate.

Last year, the Welsh Government asked the animal charities to identify if there is a need to introduce any new codes. The absence of monkey-focused guidance has been a priority area for this workstream. The recommendations are rapidly approaching completion and are expected to be submitted to the Welsh Government soon.

We need the Welsh Government to implement a legally enforceable code, if we cannot ban their private ownership then we need a statutory code with tough penalties to protect pet monkeys.

CCTV should be made compulsory in every abattoir in Wales to ensure that high standards of animal welfare are upheld. The Senedd, made the recommendation following a petition to the Senedd by Animal Aid. CCTV has been compulsory in all slaughterhouses in England, in areas where live animals are present since May 2018. Currently, 14 out of 24 slaughterhouses in Wales do not have cameras installed.