26 POLITICS VETERINARY PRACTICE MAY 2015 Snaring foxes and gassing badgers: what our politicians really think about … A HORRIFIED gasp foated toward fascinating event. The proceedings began one way or another, but Labour and the primates, as pets. They would take “tough the rafters of the majestic, slightly with the vexing question of religious Tories support the status quo. action” in this area. The Conservatives, crumbling edifce that is Westminster slaughter. in contrast, emphasised the need for Palace. Labour asserted that religious Breeding opinions “persuasion”. Stuart Agnew had just suggested sensibilities and animal welfare can be The most extensive answer on dog Notably, UKIP proposed legislation to a meeting packed to bursting with balanced by appropriate use of pre- breeding was provided by the Greens. against exotic pet-keeping, and planned welfare afcionados G iven t hat to triple current sentences for animal a nd c ameras ANDREW KNIGHT and IAIN Caroline Allen welfare abuses. UKIP were Jekyll and that the best McGILL went to the Houses of is a highly Hyde, occasionally coming up with way to control Parliament to hear the views, and experienced startlingly refreshing animal welfare tuberculosis in in some cases policies, on animal L ondon policies (sometimes, but not always, badgers was to gas welfare of people from a number veterinarian, because they won’t obey EU dictats) them in their setts. of the political parties contesting t his w as only to ruin it with ill-judged rants As pointed out this month’s election unsurprising. about immigrants or the RSPCA, or by Angela Smith, The Greens promises of outright animal abuse (e.g. Shadow Animal Welfare Minister, and stunning. The Conservatives, represented were the only party with any veterinary snares and gassing), without seeming the originator of the gasp, one rather by Neil Parish, MP (on behalf of Lord representation. to comprehend the sensitivities of the important problem posed by this “fnal de Mauley, Minister for Animal Welfare), Ms Allen proposed signifcantly greater audience. solution” was that it was, in fact, illegal. placed greater emphasis on respecting regulation of breeders, including licence Invasive animal experimentation was Another was that Stuart Agnew is the religious tradition, but did state their requirements for breeding two or more supported by the Conservatives and animal welfare spokesman for UKIP. support for the use of cameras to litters, and bans on the sale of puppies UKIP. Greater transparency, including No one questioned whether gassing monitor animal welfare in abattoirs. below eight weeks of age, or with the greater publication of information badgers was humane or not, but the The Greens supported cameras, and dam absent. about experiments, was supported by horrified expression from Caroline emphasised the importance of labelling The Liberal Democrats and Labour all other parties. The Greens were also Allen, the animal welfare spokesperson meat as from stunned animals, or spoke of reviewing legislation, and the keen to force a reduction in the number for the Green Party, suggested that she otherwise. They also Conservatives had of animals used. was struggling to comply with an edict emphasised a more No one questioned little to offer, other In reply to UKIP’s Stuart Agnew, who not to speak at that point. holistic focus on farm whether gassing than encouraging defended the use of snares by farmers The animal welfare campaigner and animal lives overall. badgers was us to “all work for “fox control”, the Greens’ Ms Allen actor, Peter Egan, chaired this important Surprisingly, UKIP together”. UKIP stated that the use of snares was an issue meeting of the Associate Parliamentary described religious humane or not, blamed the problem she had studied in detail. After describing Group for Animal Welfare on 17th slaughter as more but the horrifed on the importation their effects on (some of whom March, and was trying hard to keep humane, claiming expression from of foreign dogs by chew off their own limbs to escape), she things in order. that it occurred more the animal welfare immigrants, and concluded that these “mediaeval torture A difficult task, given that his job slowly, in quieter asserted that the devices” have no place in the modern was to allow representatives from fve environments. spokesperson for RSPCA, with so UK. Mr Agnew had no reply, but the political parties to answer 17 questions They opposed a ban, the Green Party much “free time on response was spontaneous applause from on animal welfare matters, previously due to fears this would suggested she its hands” should the audience. submitted by parliamentary colleagues lead to a black market was struggling to conduct undercover Labour was particularly critical of the and the general public, in around 60 in meat imported from investigations to solve Conservative failure to ban the use of minutes. This was Question Time for the Europe. comply with an the problem. This wild animals in circuses, despite a full political parties with respect to animal Live exports were edict not to speak statement was one fve years in which to do so. They and the welfare and their upcoming manifestos. supported by the at that point. of the most ill-judged Greens were the only parties committed Mr Egan did manage to get through Conservatives and of the evening, and to a ban. A similar divide appeared in roughly half of the questions posed. We Labour, and opposed by the Greens Stewart Agnew looked like a startled relation to badgers: the Conservatives were fortunate enough to attend this and UKIP. rabbit in the headlights of audience would continue to cull them, Labour and The Liberal Democrats would not opprobrium. the Greens would not, and UKIP would Andrew Knight, BVMS, PhD, reveal their position prior to their apparently gas them. BSc, MRCVS, is a European manifesto release, and seemed reluctant Review proposed The take-home message is that if you veterinary specialist in animal to commit themselves to any manifesto With respect to exotic pets, Labour and want good animal welfare policies from welfare science, ethics and promises on animal welfare. the Lib Dems proposed a legislative an incoming government, vote Green, law, and a Professor of Animal It was almost as though, scarred by review. As usual, the most detailed followed by Labour. If you want , Welfare and Ethics at the their disastrous tuition fee u-turn after measures were provided by the Greens, snares, badger culls and business as usual, University of Winchester. He the last election, their spokesperson for who emphasised the unsuitability of vote for the Tories or UKIP and, if you is an election candidate for the animal welfare, Baroness Parminter, had many exotic species, and especially want non-commitment, vote Lib Dem. Animal Welfare Party and is been instructed to avoid making party frustrated that the AWP were commitments. not similarly invited to speak. Similarly, the Conservatives and Malvern vet standing for UKIP Iain McGill, BVetMed, BSc, Labour mouthed opposition on principle RICHARD Chamings, principal of White House Vets in MRCVS, is an independent to live exports, but cited the illegality Malvern, Worcs., is standing in the general election for veterinary scientist and of banning it under EU legislation. the UK Independence Party in the constituency of West clinician who actively This posed no problem for UKIP as Worcestershire. campaigns on animal welfare they intend to exit the EU. They would Mr Chamings reports that he joined UKIP some issues. Formerly a scientist ban live exports, as would the Greens years ago because he was convinced that the UK would at MAFF and ZSL, he is also indirectly, by passing legislation allowing be better off outside the EU – “making our own laws, one of the co-ordinators of ports to decline shipments. setting up trade deals worldwide, and saving ourselves about £10 billion a scientifc veterinary opposition Either way, the difference was clear year”. to the badger cull. – the Greens and UKIP would stop it