European Regulations, Will It Be The End Of Cages?
In recent years, European regulations have taken historic steps in the field of animal protection. Driven by growing popular demand, legal advances allow us to combat abuse and neglect with more effective measures. However, there is still a long way to go towards the end of cages in European countries.
Legal protection only for domestic and wild animals?
The laws and actions of the last decade have focused almost exclusively on companion animals or the indigenous fauna of European ecosystems. However, the so-called “farm animals” continue to be condemned to a kind of legal vacuum or oblivion, not being reached by advances in animal welfare.
Consequently, exploitation in industries such as food or fashion / clothing ends up being legitimized by current laws. Or because of the absence of laws that establish minimum conditions of health and physical and cognitive integrity for their breeding in captivity.
To get an idea of the seriousness of this situation, 300 million farm animals live confined in the European Union, because their breeding is intended for human consumption. Spain leads the ranking as the country with the highest number of cages, registering around 92 million caged species.
It is estimated that 98% of pigs and 88% of chickens live almost their entire lives in cages on productive farms in the Iberian Peninsula. But the strongest figure is for the population of rabbits, which in their entirety are raised in incarceration.
While this panorama remains untouchable, millions of animals spend their entire lives caged, never knowing freedom. But society shows us once again the hope that this can change …
Initiative ” No more cages”: European society unites to call for an end to cages
The European Citizens’ Initiative “No more cages” is a society campaign created to combat the mistreatment of farm animals. In mid-2019, it has become internationally recognized, as more and more European citizens added their signatures to the petition.
It is about the citizen’s response to a cruel reality that has remained “covered up” for several years.
As pets are getting closer to having their rights recognized, millions of species spend practically their entire lives locked in cages. Without having the minimum conditions to lead a dignified life, much less experience positive emotions.
All because the human being has decided that the existence of some species should be used only to generate food and other resources for their subsistence or comfort. Pigs, chickens, rabbits, quail, ducks and many other species are victims of commercial exploitation.
The deprivations begin when these animals are still in the womb and continue until the day of their death. Females are usually forced to suckle between the bars of the cages and the weaning period, which is essential for the physical and cognitive development of the young, is hardly respected.
An end point for commercial animal confinement in Europe?
As the name suggests, the Citizens’ Initiative brings together the demands of thousands of citizens for the end of cages in the European Union. “No more cages” has added more than one and a half million signatures when it closed in September 2019. In addition to having the support of more than 140 European organizations, including FADDA and Animal Equality.
This has been a historic conquest for many reasons. First, because it shows that more and more citizens are becoming aware of the different forms of mistreatment and cruelty towards animals. Also because it shows us that the animal cause transcends borders and does not allow us to forget some species.
But above all because, as it widely exceeds one million signatures, the end of the cages will have to be formally discussed in the European Parliament during 2020.
Previously, the initiative had managed to reach the Congress of Deputies through an event organized by the Parliamentary Association in Defense of Animal Rights (APDDA). Powered by Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), the event has exposed the cruelty involved in this breeding method.
Little by little, these small advances are turning into great achievements for animal protection in the European Union. As everything indicates, those of us who love animals will have reason to renew hope in 2020.
