Political opportunities for farm animals in europe

Abstract

Recent legislative progress for farm animals in Europe includes bans on the killing of day-old chicks and castration of piglets without pain relief, phase-outs of sow stalls and farrowing crates, and bans on cages for laying hens and fur farming. Drivers of these changes include effective advocacy, corporate pledges to improve animal welfare, and Brexit, which allowed the EU to pursue more independent animal welfare policies. Key opportunities for further improvement include revised EU directives on broiler chickens and layer hens, EU fish welfare protections, and the inclusion of animal welfare standards in the EU’s and the UK’s trade agreements. – AI-generated abstract.