A selection of animal welfare news from around the world

Brought to you by
Please note that the articles below do not reflect opinions of TAWC. Although we aim to provide comprehensive coverage, there are likely articles that we’ve missed.

O/S = Overseas source
Send us your news!

News 1 – 20 January 2021

Cross-sectoral
  • Are Some Animal Welfare Labels ‘Humanewashing’? (Civil Eats O/S)
  • What A Delay On Canada’s Gestation Crate Ban Will Mean For Pig Welfare (Forbes O/S)
  • Red Tractor plans stricter standards from November 2021 (Farmers Weekly O/S)
  • Gene-editing plan ‘dark day’ for animal welfare and environment, say farming experts (Independent O/S)
  • Animals farmed: lab-grown ‘chicken’, bird culls, and why pigs really can’t fly (Guardian O/S)
  • The good old ways: can we still farm like our grandparents? (Guardian O/S)
  • Blurred lines between animal welfare and animal ethics (QLD Country Life)
  • Even More Americans Ate Plant-Based Meats In 2020, And Animal Advocates Are Celebrating (Forbes O/S)
  • RSPCA calls for cut in meat and dairy as activists launch legal fight to end factory farming (The Independent O/S)
  • MPI’s tips for animal welfare over summer (NZ Herald O/S)
  • Giggling rats highlight call for animal law (Pet Business World O/S)
  • Plant-based dairy, egg product sales reach $4b in 2020 (Feedstuffs O/S)
Cattle in beef & dairy production
  • Pain relief is delivering an animal welfare revolution – Peter Windsor (QLD Country Life)
  • Curious Questions: Are cows actually super-intelligent? (Country Life O/S)
  • Is Dairy Farming Cruel to Cows? (New York Times O/S)
  • Tips for preventing and handling heat stress in dairy cows (Dairy News)
Pigs in pork production
  • Majority of pork buyers show concern for pig welfare, survey shows (WAP Harris Poll O/S)
  • ADHB releases UK Pork sector strategy proposal (ADHB O/S)
  • Outlook 2021: Pig sector three-point plan for secure future (Farmers Weekly O/S)
  • Danish expert questions value of new Chinese face recognition tool for pigs (ScandAsia O/S)
 
Poultry in meat & egg production
  • South Korea culls 19 million poultry to control avian flu (Watt Poultry O/S)
  • Egg Innovations CEO: ‘Cage-free is a step in the right direction, but it isn’t meeting the entire needs of the birds’. (Food Navigator O/S)
  • Maintaining bird welfare during AI housing measures (Poultry World O/S)
Sheep in meat & wool production
Animals in transit & at slaughter
  • EU hypocrisy? Foie gras and factory farming continue, but kosher and halal traditions nixed (GetReligion O/S)
  • Live Animal Export: How Many Animals Die During Transport? (Sentient Media O/S)
  • Improving animal-welfare in pig slaughterhouses – Tips on how to reduce stress, suffering and ease handling (2021) (Eyes on Animals O/S)
  • Temple Grandin: Clarifying welfare guidance (Meat+Poultry O/S)
 
Animals in aquaculture
Animals in research & teaching
  • Mice may ‘catch’ each other’s pain — and pain relief (Science News O/S)
  • How many mice and rats are used in U.S. labs? Controversial study says more than 100 million (Science O/S)
  • Mouse Exchange wins national award for openness in animal research (University of Southampton O/S)
Animals in racing & sport
  • Dog days of Florida come to an end, with total demise of U.S. greyhound racing within sight (NBC News O/S)
Animals in zoos, aquaria & the wild
  • Lost pigeon puts animal welfare in the spotlight (The Age)
  • A moo-ving target: fenceless grazing widens possibilities for cows and wildlife (Guardian O/S)
  • How Covid has plunged Asia’s captive elephants into fresh crisis (Guardian O/S)
  • Aquarium agrees to delay beluga whale delivery amid lawsuit (ABC O/S)
  • PETA labeled an LSU researcher a bird-killer. She’s pushing back against the ‘lies’ (The Advocate O/S)
Pets & companion animals
  • Why you should desex your cat before puberty (Univ Sydney)
  • More than 1,500 hens and cockerels bought during lockdown have been dumped and abandoned amid fears over return of bird flu, RSPCA warns (Daily Mail O/S)
 
Podcasts & presentations

-

Policy
  • What A Delay On Canada’s Gestation Crate Ban Will Mean For Pig Welfare (Swineweb O/S)
  • A Glimmer of Hope for Animal Welfare in Europe (Slow Food O/S)
  • Ohio Governor Signs Bill Requiring Cross-Reporting of Animal and Child Abuse (Animal Welfare Institute O/S)
  • EU states can ban kosher and halal ritual slaughter, court rules (Politico O/S)
  • Europe’s push for an animal welfare label risks an epic trade dispute (The Hill O/S)
  • Omnibus Spending for Fiscal Year 2021 Includes Gains for Animals (Animal Welfare Institute O/S)
  • EU parliament decides fate of ‘veggie meat’ (Pig Progress O/S)
 
Other/Publications
  • Hayes, M.E.; Hemsworth, L.M.; Morrison, R.S.; Butler, K.L.; Rice, M.; Rault, J.-L.; Hemsworth, P.H. Effects of Positive Human Contact during Gestation on the Behaviour, Physiology and Reproductive Performance of Sows. Animals 2021, 11, 214. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11010214 (registering DOI)
  • FAO Sustainable Livestock Tech Network Newsletter (FAO O/S)
  • Christley, R.M.; Murray, J.K.; Anderson, K.L.; Buckland, E.L.; Casey, R.A.; Harvey, N.D.; Harris, L.; Holland, K.E.; McMillan, K.M.; Mead, R.; Owczarczak-Garstecka, S.C.; Upjohn, M.M. Impact of the First COVID-19 Lockdown on Management of Pet Dogs in the UK. Animals 2021, 11, 5. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/5
  • Animal Sentience and Emotions: The Argument for Universal Acceptance of Sentience (PETA)
  • Alexander Pekin, Hester Rynhoud, Bradley Brennan, Ricardo J. Soares Magalhães. Dog bite Emergency department presentations in Brisbane metro south: Epidemiology and exploratory medical geography for targeted interventions,One Health,Volume 12,2021,100204,ISSN 2352-7714. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2020.100204
  • The Animals’ Manifesto – Preventing COVID-X . Foreword by Jane Goodall. https://pub.lucidpress.com/1c6e4a02-2bae-4656-a238-333d956dc2a0/#_0

Conferences, Seminars & Events

  • Webinar: Animal welfare supporting sustainable production. Looking at the roles of  animal welfare to address key challenges for livestock in the future: sustainable production and use of antimicrobials. A group of qualified experts (inc Linda Keeling)  from different sectors will discuss on-the-ground and higher-level policy action on how animal welfare can and should be used to tackle current global challenges. Jan 27, 2021 02:00 PM EU time. https://fao.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_X5w99oZUQlOxiKksOqbUnA
  • Australian Association of Animal Sciences  Conference 31/1 – 3/2. Barnett memorial lecture – Caroline Lee “Ensuring new technologies such as virtual fencing are welfare—friendly.” Day 4 program (welfare morning) http://www.animalscienceconference.com.au/home/2021-program/#Day4
  • Nat Livestock Wellbeing Seminar Series. Tuesday 9 February 2021 – Infection Resilience (Univ Adel)
  • Animal welfare assessment contest goes virtual (AVMA O/S)
Subscribe
Note: By subscribing to Animal Welfare Snapshot, you are also consenting to receive other communications from The Animal Welfare Collaborative. You may choose to unsubscribe from either of these mailing lists at any time.