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A
couple of years ago, the World Society for the Protection
of Animals (WSPA) submitted a Universal
Declaration on Animal Welfare to the United
Nations as a guiding document for animal welfare organisations
and workers around the world to adopt. Here it is :
UNIVERSAL
DECLARATION FOR THE WELFARE OF ANIMALS
RECOGNISING
that animals are living, sentient beings and therefore
deserve special consideration and respect.
RECOGNISING
that humans share this planet with other species and
other forms of life and that all forms of life co-exist
within an interdependent ecosystem.
RECOGNISING
that, although there are significant social, economic
and cultural differences between human societies, each
should develop in a humane and sustainable manner.
ACKNOWLEDGING
that many states already have a system of legal protection
for animals both domestic and wild.
SEEKING
to ensure the continued effectiveness of these systems
and the development of better and more comprehensive
animal welfare provisions.
NOW,
THEREFORE,
THE
WORLD SOCIETY FOR THE PROTECTION OF ANIMALS
PROCLAIMS
this Universal Declaration for the Welfare of Animals
as a common standard of achievement for all peoples
and all nations, to strive by all appropriate means
to promote respect for these principles and by progressive
measures, national and international, to secure their
universal and effective recognition and observance.
1.
DEFINITIONS
a)
"animal" means any non-human mammal,
bird, reptile, amphibian, fish or invertebrate capable
of feeling pain or distress.
b)
"wildlife" includes any animal which
has not been domesticated by humans.
c)
"human-dependent animals" means any
animal whose welfare and survival is under human care
and includes companion animals; animals raised for the
provision of food, products, draught power, services,
scientific research, or entertainment and wild animals
held in captivity.
d)
"companion animals" refers to species
which, within the context of the local culture, have
traditionally been companions to humans and bred, whether
systematically or not, for this purpose.
e)
"cruelty" means any infliction of unnecessary
pain or distress on an animal whether by deliberate
act or neglect.
f)
"welfare" is the degree to which the
physical, behavioural and psychological needs of an
animal are met.
2.
FUNDAMENTAL PROVISIONS
a)
Humans have a positive obligation towards the care and
welfare of human-dependent animals.
b)
No animal should be killed unnecessarily or be subjected
to cruel acts by a human.
c)
Cruelty to any animal should be regarded as a serious
offence, recognised as such in legislation at all levels
and punishable with sufficient penalties to deter the
perpetrator from acting in the same way again.
3.
WILDLIFE
a)
Where it is deemed necessary to capture and kill wildlife,
and in order to safeguard bio- diversity, the maximum
number of animals to be taken should be sustainable
and determined on the basis of sound scientific management
practices.
b)
Where it is deemed necessary to capture and kill wildlife,
only those devices and techniques should be used which
do not:
- Inflict
cruelty
- Harm
non-target animals
- Damage
natural habitat
c)
the capture and killing of wild animals for the purpose
of entertainment or spot should be prohibited.
d)
to ensure the implementation of the above provisions,
all necessary measures shall be taken to protect habitat
and ecosystems.
4. HUMAN-DEPENDENT ANIMALS
a)
Animals raised under the control of humans or taken
into captivity by humans should be afforded the provisions
of the basic Five Freedoms, being adopted increasingly
throughout the animal welfare world, as follows:
Freedom
from hunger and thirst: by ready access to fresh water
and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.
Freedom
from discomfort: by providing an appropriate environment
including shelter and a comfortable resting area.
Freedom
from pain, injury and disease: by prevention or rapid
diagnosis and treatment.
¨Freedom
from fear and distress: by ensuring conditions and treatment
which avoid mental suffering.
¨Freedom
to express normal behaviour: by providing sufficient
space, proper facilities and company of animals"
own kind.
b)
Veterinary surgeons and other qualified persons should
be authorised to humanely destroy any animal which is
so injured, diseased or distressed that its existence
involves its continued suffering.
5.
ANIMALS RAISED FOR FOOD, PRODUCTS AND DRAUGHT POWER
a)
Where it is deemed necessary to kill an animal for the
provision of food or products, the method applied should
immediately render the animal unconscious to pain until
death supervenes.
b)
The process of slaughtering an animal should be carried
out by a competent and well-trained individual.
c)
Animals awaiting slaughter should be unloaded, handled,
housed, fed and watered in a humane manner.
d)
All appropriate steps should be taken to minimise the
transportation of animals. Where such transportation
does occur, animal welfare concerns should be applied.
e)
The slaughter of animals should be undertaken as close
as possible to their place of rearing.
f) All appropriate steps shall be taken to ensure that
animals used to provide draught power and other work
duties for humans should be entitled to limitation on
the duration and intensity of their work. Such limitations
should be based on a scientific evaluation.
6. COMPANION ANIMALS
a)
Owners of companion animals shall be obliged to take
responsibility for their care and welfare for the duration
of the animal's lives or to make arrangements to pass
them on to a responsible person if they can no longer
care for them.
b)
Appropriate steps should be taken to promote and introduce
the neutering of companion animals.
c)
Appropriate steps should be taken to implement a process
of registration and identification of companion animals.
d)
The commercial trade in companion animals should be
subject to strict regulation, licensing and inspection
to prevent cruelty and the breeding of unwanted animals.
e)
Veterinary surgeons and other qualified persons should
be authorised to humanely destroy companion animals
that are abandoned and cannot be re-honed or provided
with adequate care to ensure their welfare.
f)
The destruction of companion animals by inhumane and
indiscriminate methods, including poisoning, shooting,
beating, drowning and strangulation should be prohibited.
7.
ANIMALS IN SPORT AND ENTERTAINMENT
a)
Where animals are used in legitimate sport and entertainment
all appropriate steps shall be taken to prevent them
being exposed to cruelty.
b)
Exhibitions and spectacles using animals which are deleterious
to their health and welfare should be prohibited.
8. LIVE ANIMALS IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
a)
The use of animals for the purpose of scientific research
and testing should only take place for purposes essential
to human or animal welfare, including:
Finding
a cure, prevention or treatment for a specific disease
Developing
a product to alleviate suffering or promote health
The
assessment of risk of harmful substances where no alternatives
exist
b)
Where it is deemed necessary to use animals for research
and testing purposes, the methods used should ensure
that:
The
number of animals used in minimised
Pain
and distress is minimised and/or alleviated
High
standards of husbandry and care are provided throughout
the animals' lives
c)
The replacement of experiments on live animals with
alternative testing methods should be facilitated where
possible and such alternative methods should be promoted,
researched and validated.
d)
The use of animals for the purpose of scientific research
and testing should be prohibited wherever:
It
is possible to obtain information of similar scientific
value without using animals
 Information
of similar scientific value is already available
The
results are not essential to human or animal welfare.
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