Compassion in World Farming is a prestigious and highly effective animal welfare organisation active in the sphere of promoting humane food production across the globe. Their work has included, in addition to publishing influential books like "Farmageddon", initiating what turned-out to be a number of landmark cases in both the ECJ and UK courts which have resulted in positive outcomes for farm animal welfare. The beneficial impact of Compassion can not be underestimated and readers are encouraged to support their work.
So when the opportunity presented itself to discuss the thinking behind this petition with the Chief Executive of Compassion - it was grabbed with both hands!
Compassion in World Farming support the general idea behind the petition. Namely, they agree that in principle, having a Directorate-General for animal welfare could one day be a desirable state of affairs within the EU. However, in the short term – Compassion believes it is essential that animal welfare remains within the portfolio of an existing, well-connected and effective DG until a specific DG with the necessary gravitas and practical impact could be created. Quite rightly, Compassion did not want animal welfare to suffer a set-back and be rendered toothless or impotent whilst a new DG for animal welfare was created and became established. This is a pragmatic and sensible consideration because the interest of animals can't be sacrificed on the altar of ideology and high-brow thinking simply to create a new institution within the EU. This utilitarian concern is certainly worthy of serious consideration if and when a DG for animal welfare is created. (It will need teeth, and it will need them immediately).
Compassion is strongly of the opinion that animal welfare is not well served by being tied to "farming" and agriculture as is the case in the UK. Indeed, in their experience, animal welfare is better served by being connected to human health and consumers as it currently is within the EU. In the opinion of Compassion, by linking animal welfare to human health - this establishes an entirely new network of connections with policy-makers and leading political thinkers whose work would otherwise not have been connected to animal welfare. On the whole the individuals who have been drawn in have been more sympathetic and aligned to the welfare of animals than had previously been the case when animal welfare was a dimension of "agriculture and farming". Compassion in World Farming were keen to protect these new associations and new ways of thinking about animal welfare issues. Indeed, Compassion was clear that these beneficial and effective new relationships should not be damaged and must be protected in future for the effective furtherance of animal welfare objectives.
One of the contentions of this petition is that animals are not chattels or property - but are morally and qualitatively superior and inherently more valuable than mere objects; as implicitly acknowledged and provided for by their status as "sentient" as per Article 13 of TFEU. Viewed through this lens, Compassion agreed that it was not an entirely satisfactory situation that animals were associated with "consumerism", particularly if evidence could be adduced that the outcome was to objectivise animals and to reduce them to mere property. As such, Compassion were in favour of the possible change of emphasis the creation of a DG for animal welfare might bring about by explicitly differentiating and raising their status above that of mere objects.
Nevertheless, at least in the short term - Compassion in World Farming are adopting an understandably pragmatic position which keeps an eye not only on the abstract classification of animals but on retaining the tools necessary to effect real and direct change for animals here and now within the EU. On that basis, Compassion believes that the welfare of animals is reasonably well served for now within the DG for health & consumers - but would be keeping this under review and in the meantime, are supporting the general thesis and direction of travel this petition promotes.
Our thanks to Philip for taking the time to discuss this important issue and for some salient food for thought on the way forward for animals in the EU.
Visit their website
http://www.ciwf.org.uk/
So when the opportunity presented itself to discuss the thinking behind this petition with the Chief Executive of Compassion - it was grabbed with both hands!
Compassion in World Farming support the general idea behind the petition. Namely, they agree that in principle, having a Directorate-General for animal welfare could one day be a desirable state of affairs within the EU. However, in the short term – Compassion believes it is essential that animal welfare remains within the portfolio of an existing, well-connected and effective DG until a specific DG with the necessary gravitas and practical impact could be created. Quite rightly, Compassion did not want animal welfare to suffer a set-back and be rendered toothless or impotent whilst a new DG for animal welfare was created and became established. This is a pragmatic and sensible consideration because the interest of animals can't be sacrificed on the altar of ideology and high-brow thinking simply to create a new institution within the EU. This utilitarian concern is certainly worthy of serious consideration if and when a DG for animal welfare is created. (It will need teeth, and it will need them immediately).
Compassion is strongly of the opinion that animal welfare is not well served by being tied to "farming" and agriculture as is the case in the UK. Indeed, in their experience, animal welfare is better served by being connected to human health and consumers as it currently is within the EU. In the opinion of Compassion, by linking animal welfare to human health - this establishes an entirely new network of connections with policy-makers and leading political thinkers whose work would otherwise not have been connected to animal welfare. On the whole the individuals who have been drawn in have been more sympathetic and aligned to the welfare of animals than had previously been the case when animal welfare was a dimension of "agriculture and farming". Compassion in World Farming were keen to protect these new associations and new ways of thinking about animal welfare issues. Indeed, Compassion was clear that these beneficial and effective new relationships should not be damaged and must be protected in future for the effective furtherance of animal welfare objectives.
One of the contentions of this petition is that animals are not chattels or property - but are morally and qualitatively superior and inherently more valuable than mere objects; as implicitly acknowledged and provided for by their status as "sentient" as per Article 13 of TFEU. Viewed through this lens, Compassion agreed that it was not an entirely satisfactory situation that animals were associated with "consumerism", particularly if evidence could be adduced that the outcome was to objectivise animals and to reduce them to mere property. As such, Compassion were in favour of the possible change of emphasis the creation of a DG for animal welfare might bring about by explicitly differentiating and raising their status above that of mere objects.
Nevertheless, at least in the short term - Compassion in World Farming are adopting an understandably pragmatic position which keeps an eye not only on the abstract classification of animals but on retaining the tools necessary to effect real and direct change for animals here and now within the EU. On that basis, Compassion believes that the welfare of animals is reasonably well served for now within the DG for health & consumers - but would be keeping this under review and in the meantime, are supporting the general thesis and direction of travel this petition promotes.
Our thanks to Philip for taking the time to discuss this important issue and for some salient food for thought on the way forward for animals in the EU.
Visit their website
http://www.ciwf.org.uk/