FEDERATION OF VETERINARIANS OF EUROPE

FVE/020/doc/051

Animal Welfare Activity update report May 2020

Members FOR INFORMATION Albania Austria Belgium Bosnia-Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Update activities Working Group. Czech Republic The FVE/UEVP Working Group was renewed in 2019. The new group had the Estonia following meetings: Finland • a physical meeting in October 2019 • Telco in January 2020 Greece Hungary • Planned physical meeting which was replace by remote meeting in May 2020 Iceland • Next meeting planned in autumn Ireland Italy Latvia Lithuania Working group members (2019-2021): Malta Montenegro Sean Wensley (CHAIR)- UK Annalisa Scollo - EAPHM Guest Dominique Autier-Dérian - France Mette Uldahl - FEEVA North Macedonia Stefano Messori – Italy Heather Bacon - UK Observer Poland Theron Leonard - Belgium Kenelm Lewis – UEVP Observer Portugal Gunnarsson Stefan - Sweden Torill Moseng – FVE Board Romania Thomas Richter - Germany Observer Slovak Republic Vibe Pedersen Lund - Denmark Jovana/Marina – FVE stagiaire Slovenia Spain Ann Criel - FECAVA Nancy De Briyne – FVE Secretariat Sweden Giovani Guadagnini - EAPHM

Observers Papers being worked on by AW WG

Armenia Russia The working group is currently working hard on some papers, namely: Ukraine • Development of a practical best practice protocol for euthanasia of horses.

Sections This is a FEEVA/FVE collaboration. The draft protocol is ready and will go for member consultation in the near future. If received positive, other protocols UEVP President Practitioners e.g. for pigs could be developed. • Paper on moving away from farrowing crates to more sustainable farrowing Rens van Dobbenburgh EASVO State Officers systems. The first draft is ready, member consultation will follow in the near Vice-Presidents future. UEVH Thierry Chambon Hygienists • Paper on moving away from enriched cages for laying hens. The first draft is Siegfried Moder ready, member consultation will follow in the near future. Torill Moseng EVERI Stanislaw Winiarczyk Veterinarians in Education, Research • Paper on inappropriate training of animals and unregulated behaviourists-) In and Industry progress.

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe AISBL Avenue de Tervueren 12, B-1040 Tel: +32.2.533.70.20 - E-mail: [email protected] - Internet: www.fve.org Company Registration Number: 0851.035.537

FVE Animal Welfare Strategy The working group is drafting an FVE animal welfare strategy which aims to clarify FVE’s vision of the European veterinary profession’s role in animal welfare. It will incorporate the WG’s existing commitments and the views of members and stakeholders. It will be linked to the overall FVE strategy. The Strategy will facilitate sharing of good practice, promote further partnerships with other veterinary associations and foster a profession-wide consensus on our ethical responsibilities and roles in animal welfare leadership and advocacy.

Impact of Covid-19 on Animal Welfare The FVE/UEVP Animal Welfare Working Group has been closely following the impact of COVID on animal health and welfare. They have developed a document listing all key problem areas. On the same time, FVE has been working with the OIE collaborating centre network on veterinary emergencies (EmVetNet) to collect information on animal welfare issues in relation to COVID-19. EmVetNet set up a task force of 30 global experts on this issue, including from OIE, FAO, AVMA and FVE. The aim is to map issues and potential solutions in an interactive database. They developed a web/mobile app where animal welfare issues can be reported: https://lmu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_beo5EWJBY879FiZ

FVE gave input on the evaluation of the EU Animal Welfare Strategy 2010-2015 and Farm to fork strategy The launched a targeted and general public evaluation on the EU Animal Welfare Strategy 2010-2015. FVE answered both of them. The evaluation will serve to evaluate the extent to which the strategy delivered on its objectives and it will shape future action. More information can be found here: https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/welfare/strategy/evaluation_strategy_en The FVE/UEVP Animal Welfare Working group also gave input into the consultation on the farm to fork strategy.

European Commission Animal welfare platform The European Commission Animal Welfare Platform will have a next meeting on 15 June. The last meeting was end 2019. The following documents will be for endorsement on the June 2020 meeting:

- Infographs and Leaflets regarding online trade of companion animals. This is part of the voluntary initiative workgroup on companion animal trade, in which FVE does the secretariat. These infographs and leaflets have been developed by FVE!

- Guide to good animal welfare practice for the keeping, care, training and use of donkeys and donkey hybrids This is part of the voluntary initiative group of horses. FVE/FEEVA are contributing to the drafting of the paper.

- Guidelines on water quality and handling for the welfare of farmed vertebrate fish

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This is the work from the voluntary initiative fish subgroup. FVE is contributing to the drafting of these guidelines.

Overview different subgroups on Animal Welfare Platform:

Subgroup topic FVE involvement Progress state Transport N. De Briyne subgroup Work finalised. Details here member Pigs FVE/EAPHM G. Battista Work finalised. Details here subgroup member Companion FVE does Secretariat Online trade leaflets for animals trade together with Eurogroup endorsement at June Platform and A. Robinson is member meeting Breeding and transport guidelines being worked on. Fish Kari Norheim/Alain Guidelines on water quaily and Schonbrodt subgroup handling for adoption at June member platform meeting Horses Mette Uldahl represents Horse guidelines were adopted FVE and FEEVA 2019 Donkey guidelines for adoption June 2020 Pullets FVE did not apply for Work ongoing membership Pig castration Rens van Ongoing Dobbenburgh/Nancy de Briyne member

Companion Animal Trade On March this year the Croatian presidency organised a workshop with the Eurogroup for Animals on the illegal trade of pets in the EU. The main issues discussed were the traceability of pets and sellers, regulation of advertising sites and consumer protection. Thierry Chambon and Andrew Robinson took part on behalf of FVE.

European Commission reports on the transport of live animals by road and sea The audit services of the European Commission released two report, both of which uncovered worrying animal welfare problems, mainly to do with very high temperatures suffered during the journey, but also lack of compliance and of feedback on the condition of the animals on arrival or during the leg of the journey taking place outside of the EU. As a result, the Netherlands decided to stop issuing export certificates for animals transported on long journeys which needed a resting place outside the EU, as the veterinarian making the certificate cannot guarantee that the welfare of the animals will be guaranteed until the place of destination. Several German Lander also do the same.

The FVE has long been pressing for better welfare during long transport. More information can be found here: https://www.fve.org/fve-calls-to-prevent-suffering- of-animals-during-long-distance-transports/

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