ICHSLTA

Animal Welfare Statement

We at ICHSLTA strongly believe that it is our responsibility to support and promote animal welfare.

We believe that animals should be allowed to live by the 5 Freedom Principles:

    - Freedom from thirst and hunger

    - Freedom from discomfort

    - Freedom from pain, injury and diseases

    - Freedom to express their natural behaviors

    - Freedom from fear and distress

Animals should be bred, transported and slaughtered in the most healthy and suitable conditions, to avoid risks of illnesses, injuries, pain and distress.

Beside animal well-being, good animal welfare has positive impacts on the quality of animals’ productions such as meat or milk and of course hides. It is therefore important that we all make animal welfare our priority.

EU Animals Welfare initiatives

The European Commission's activities in this area start with the recognition that animals are sentient beings. The general aim is to ensure that animals do not endure avoidable pain or suffering, and obliges the owner/keeper of animals to respect minimum welfare requirements.

         http://ec.europa.eu/food/animal/welfare/index_en.htm

         EU Animals Welfare strategy 2012-2015 .pdf

         Milestones in improving animal welfare.pdf

Some materials regarding animal welfare from the US side

• For industry: http://www.animalhandling.org/

• US government: http://awic.nal.usda.gov/ 

• A list of regulations and policies on animal welfare in the US: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/downloads/Animal%20Care%20Blue%20Book%20-%202013%20-%20FINAL.pdf

• Videos and documents which show the slaughter process and explain proper animal welfare procedures utilized:

http://animalhandling.org/ht/d/sp/i/80622/pid/80622
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8mdhUqsi9s&feature=youtu.be
 
http://www.animalhandling.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/89462

Background information

Community Action Plan 2006-2010:

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/food_safety/animal_welfare/f82003_en.htm

This plan mapped out the EU's animal welfare initiatives for the period, and animal welfare concerns were built into the EU's long-term strategies.

Factsheet Animal Welfare March 2007.pdf