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Animal Welfare And Trade Ltd

AWAT

Provision of consultancy and other related services, mainly in - but not limited to – the field of animal welfare.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Maria Noichl (Member of the European Parliament)

19 Sept 2023 · EU for Animals Petition

Response to General arrangements for excise duty – harmonisation and simplification

17 May 2022

AnimalWelfareAndTrade welcomes the EU Commission’s intention to include in the scope of this Regulation post-mortem inspections of carcasses of poultry reared to produce foie gras. Among other benefits, this inclusion would help to improve the enforcement of existing animal welfare legislation across the EU and tackle forms of mistreatment that would otherwise go unnoticed. The foie gras industry claims that force-feeding is practised “with know-how and dexterity by qualified professionals” (Euro Foie Gras website) and that such a practice – already rightly outlawed on animal cruelty grounds in 22 Member States – is not harmful to the animals or, as the aforementioned website puts it, “does not stress the palmiped”. Research funded by the foie gras industry, including a 2006 INRA study, is often referenced to support this thesis. Unsurprisingly, all independent scientific studies affirm the opposite. In any case, the inclusion in the Regulation of post-mortem inspections of carcasses of poultry reared to produce foie gras should be welcomed by all. Even from the perspective of foie gras producers, if lesions or wounds are found in any part of the animals’ bodies, and in particular around their beak, oesophagus, crop, stomach or liver, this should be sufficient evidence that the specific animals were treated without "know-how and dexterity", causing them unacceptable harm and therefore stress. Clearly, in order to be effective, such inspections should be frequent, and adverse findings should generate consequences. Therefore, it would be opportune for the Commission to propose that if lesions or wounds are found in any part of the animals’ bodies, and therefore the evidence of mistreatment is present even post-mortem, the owners and relevant staff of the farm where those animals were force-fed should be sanctioned. If this occurs repeatedly, their licence should be withdrawn. In such cases, people found culpable should be prevented from owning or working again with animals. Sanctions must be substantial, not only because the consumption of foie gras should be discouraged for health reasons due to its high fat content, but also because it is marketed as a ‘luxury’ product. Sanctions should have a clear impact on profit in order to have a deterrent effect.
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Meeting with Roberto Berutti (Cabinet of Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski)

10 Jun 2020 · FOUR PAWS' CEO on animal welfare

Meeting with Tom Tynan (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

31 Jan 2017 · Business discussion