Animal welfare bill sent to select committee

A bill intended to improve the welfare of animals in Guyana was yesterday sent for further consideration by a parliamentary select committee.

The Animal Welfare Bill 2016 was read for a second time yesterday in the National Assembly, where the opposition speakers clamoured for more consultations to be done as they said the most affected group of citizens— farmers—were not aware of its implications.

While the opposition argued that the bill introduces draconian measures that can only make the lives of farmers more difficult and does not address pertinent issues, the government side, led by Agriculture Minister Noel Holder, said it would improve the welfare of animals in Guyana and ensure that their care and preparation for sale is on par with international standards.

The explanatory memorandum for the bill states that it deals with the protection of animals and one Clause (Clause 4) identifies prohibited acts and provides a fine of $100,000 and imprisonment for six months where a person contravenes them.

The bill also imposes an obligation on any person who injures an animal to render necessary assistance or arrange for assistance to be provided to the animal. Clause 7 provides for technical and surgical interventions to animals to be performed only when the animal is under anaesthesia. The bill also deals with the protection of animals at the time of slaughter or humane killing. It provides that except in the case of poultry and rabbits slaughtered for private domestic consumption, a person shall stun the animals before slaughtering.

Meanwhile, Clause 15 sets out the requirements to be followed by persons handling animals in the slaughterhouse and stipulates that a person conducting the humane killing of an animal shall do so in such a way as to avoid unnecessary pain, suffering, fear or injury to the animal. Another section of the bill deals with the keeping of animals used for production purposes and provides that the owner of an animal kept for production purposes shall ensure that the animal has adequate food, care, space, land for freedom of movement and accommodation.

Multi-pronged

Presenting the bill for the second time and arguments in its favour, Holder pointed out that animal welfare is a very important issue as the global consumption of animal protein is increasing. In the bill, he said, a multi-pronged approach is proposed as animal welfare incorporates all aspects of an animal’s well-being, including housing, nutrition, disease prevention and treatment, transport and slaughter, be it livestock or companion animals.

Further, he said the bill seeks to reform the way animal welfare is approached in Guyana. It also presents more contemporary regulations that should be followed in order to improve animal health and safety. And to ensure that the provisions of the bill are carried out, it provides for an Animal Welfare Commission to be formed and its members would consist of relevant experts from disciplines of veterinary and human medicine. This commission would be responsible for achieving a comprehensive and effective animal welfare policy, dealing with matters concerning animal safety and will also serve as an advisory body to the minister on any matters of importance. Until the commission is set up, the Guyana Livestock Development Authority will oversee the operationalisation of the bill.

Giving a background to the bill, Holder said that it was drafted in 2011 to fulfill Guyana’s readiness to access the export market for non-traditional agricultural products, which was driven by the Agricultural Export Diversification Project funded by the Inter-American Development Bank. He said while the bill was discussed at Cabinet in 2014, it was never brought before the House.

PPP/C MP Dharamkumar Seeraj later disputed this claim, while stating that the bill was not taken to Cabinet for discussion under the former government since it had not received the widest possible consultation.

Seeraj said that he had discussions with many persons and the common thread was that the bill was a very complex one and they were ignorant of any consultations. “The bill should not be contentious but should go to a select committee to benefit from the contributions of the targeted groups,” Seeraj argued. He said while the process was started, the feedback process was not completed.

But Minister Holder maintained that the bill went through numerous consultation processes, which has even been an inspiration to other Caricom countries which have followed suit.

“The Guyana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (GSPCA) has given their stamp of approval to this bill by having an expert in animal welfare review it on their behalf.

The bill is a prerequisite for compliance to allow for export of animals and meat to some countries, especially the EU,” the minister said.

He added that animal welfare is directly linked to food and nutrition security and that better management of and care for livestock can improve productivity and meat quality as it ensures food safety, nutritional adequacy and food availability. He also pointed out that production of safe food is a matter of shared responsibilities between all actors involved.

Also, the minister noted that poor management practices, including poor housing, overcrowding and poor nutrition, creates stress on the animals, which causes diseases to become manifest, thus requiring treatment with antibodies and increased likelihood of Antimicrobial Resistance presenting itself. But with proper implementation and ministering of the provisions of the bill, he said, the country can expect a reduction in the use of antimicrobials in the livestock and poultry production sectors.

He said as the country strives to expand its livestock, there is need for animal welfare to be viewed in a “holistic way; balancing the intensification of animal production with the welfare of animals.”

Arguing strenuously for the bill to be sent to a select committee, Seeraj stated that little is said about the livestock producers at the point where the animals are produced in the fields and he questioned what is being done for them.