• Debate: China has no animal welfare laws, while Spain has numerous. The US however, has limited laws against animal cruelty
• Country Comparison: The Humane Society recently gave $2,500 to combate animal rights groups such as the Animal Liberation Front(ALF).
• Recent Developments: Dennis Kucinich is a pro animal rights congressman who ran for presidential nomination for the Democratic Party. He is the only vegan in congress.

Background

• Background: 3 federal statues that protect animals
• Debate: Hurts industry v. Animals can suffer like humans
• Country Comparison: Europe has greater animal protections
• Recent Legislation: 2006 State initiatives

Background

• In the United States, there are three federal statutes governing animal welfare: the Animal Welfare Act, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act and the Twenty-Eight Hour Act of 1877.
• The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) contains provisions to ensure that animals used in research receive a standard level of care and treatment as long as "the design, outlines, or guidelines of actual research or experimentation" are not compromised. The AWA only protects mammals, barring companion animals (i.e. pets) and animals raised for food. These protections were revoked for purpose-bred birds (i.e. egg-laying hens, fois gras geese), rats, and mice (as opposed to wild-captured mice, rats, and birds) in the Farm Security Act of 2002.
• The Humane Slaughter Act include provisions that ensure humane slaughter for livestock animals to prevent needless suffering, research methods on humane methods of slaughter, the non-applicability of these statutes to religious or ritual slaughter, and the investigation into the care of nonambulatory livestock. Currently, no laws protect chickens, turkeys, geese, turkeys, ducks, or aquatic animals.
• The Twenty-Eight Hour Act addresses the transportation of animals across state lines and includes animals raised for food or in food production. (Source: Animal Legal and Historical Center)
• State animal welfare law regulates the treatment of companion animals, farm animals, and entertainment animals. State anti-cruelty acts protect against intentional infliction of pain, suffering, injury and death on animals. Some states have had protections against animal fighting.

Debate

• Animal welfare laws hurt businesses and the broader economy. Human interests take precedence over animal welfare.
• Like human animals, other animals can experience fear and pain. They should be protected from needless suffering.

Country Comparison

• Animal welfare legislation was first passed in the European Union in 1974 concerning the stunning of farm animals at slaughter. Animal health and welfare have been growing issues across Europe. European laws grants freedom from hunger, thirst, discomfort, pain, fear, and distress. It also grants animals the freedom to express normal behavior. Laying hens, broiler chickens, calves, pigs, and all other farm animals are protected by European law, putting Europe far ahead of the U.S. when it comes to animal welfare. Dr. Peter Singer's Utilitarian Argument on Animal Equality

Recent Legislation

• In 2006 voters banned gestation crate confinement of breeding pigs in Arizona and Florida initiatives. In April 2007, Governor Ted Kulongoski made Oregon the first state to issue a legislative ban on gestation crates. (Source: HSUS)
• Recent federal animal welfare legislation has included the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, passed by the US House of Representatives in May of 2007.
• Pending federal legislation includes the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act that would end the slaughter of American horses for human consumption and prohibit their export for slaughter in other countries; the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act that would end the use of non-ambulatory livestock and require that these animals be immediately and humanely euthanized; and the Dogfighting Prohibition Act.

Debate

• Animals can experience pain, fear, and suffering just like humans, however can also experience joy when removed from harmful situations.

• Animal welfare is inconvienient from an economic standpoint.

Country Comparison

• Add More