OIE Platform on Animal Welfare for Europe

OIE – HQ Paris, 26 March 2015

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe

www.fve.org

The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe’s

activities on Animal Welfare in Europe

Jan Vaarten

FVE Executive Director

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe

www.fve.org

Short Introduction FVE

European Veterinary Code of Conduct

Recent FVE AW publications

Other FVE AW actions

AW in new FVE action plan

4

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe

46 National Veterinary Professional Organisations

38 European countries

Representing 220.000 European vets

“One Profession - One Vision - One Voice”

4 FVE Sections

UEVP (Practitioners) UEVH (Hygienists – Public Health Officers) EASVO (Veterinary State Officers) EVERI (Education, Research, Industry)

www.fve.org

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe

FVE’s mission The European veterinary profession, embodied by FVE, strives to enhance animal health, animal welfare, public health and the protection of the environment by promoting the veterinary profession. Together with its members, FVE aims to support veterinarians in delivering their professional responsibilities to the best possible standard, and that this expertise is recognized and valued by society

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe

www.fve.org

What?

To enhance animal health, animal welfare and public health across Europe by promoting the veterinary profession.

How?

To support veterinarians

to deliver their professional responsibilities

at the best possible level,

recognized and valued by the society.

www.fve.org

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe

How we did this in the past 2 years

www.fve.org

European Veterinary Code of Conduct

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe

www.fve.org

• Consensus of core values between all members of FVE

• To facilitate cross border movement of veterinarians

• To enhance trust in veterinarians from other countries

• Not legally binding but a guideline for national Codes

• Can be made legally binding at national or EU level

•at national or EU level

European Veterinary Code of Conduct

www.fve.org

Veterinarians and Animals

Veterinarians shall

• Restore and ensure the welfare and health of animals under

their care

• Give emergency first aid and pain relief

Veterinarians should:

• Be aware of the status of animals as sentient beings

• Take into account the 5 freedoms

• Use the least stressful techniques

• Attempt to relieve animals of pain and suffering

• In case condition is untreatable perform euthanasia

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Recent FVE’s AW Publications (1)

• FVE & EAEVE Report on European veterinary education in animal welfare

science, ethics and law

• Briefing note: Slaughter without stunning and food labeling

• Joint Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) - American Veterinary

Medical Association (AVMA) statement on the roles of veterinarians in

ensuring good Animal Welfare

• FVE Position on the need to maintain the status of horses as food -

producing animals

• Statement about Veterinarians and Experimental Animals

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Some Other Activities

• Co-initiator European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural

Medicine

• AW workshops for veterinarians (11 Countries, 1 200 Participants) in

collaboration with EU Commission

• Establishment FVE / UEVP Working Group on AW

• Seminar on stray dogs in Romania (Wednesday 3 June 2015)

• Guidelines fitness for transport

• Etc.

Current FVE AW action plan (1)

1) Vision on role of european veterinary profession in future,

sustainable keeping of animals

2) Develop vision of ethical concepts for individual veterinarians and

explore implementation methods

3) Paper on relation between animal welfare and use of antimicrobials

4) Development and implementation of animal based indicators for

continuous improvement to the welfare status of animals at farm

and during slaughter

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Current FVE AW action plan (2)

5) Work towards better implementation of Reg. (EC) 1/2005 on the

transport conditions for animals, with special focus on low value

animals

6) Develop AW standards in conjunction with Vetcee e.g. for approved

welfare officers

7) Follow EC/FVE animal welfare practical workshops

8) Work on farmer and animal owner education

9) Develop FVE/UEVP/FECAVA stray dog policy

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Current FVE AW Action Plan (3)

11)Work towards harmonized regulations for the trade of puppies

throughout Europe, incl role of vets

12)Develop stray cat policy

11)Input Com Guidelines on manipulative material, environmental

enrichment and tail docking pigs

12)Work towards ban pig castration

13)Finalize work on FVE draft position re travelling circuses

Activities of AWWG S1 2015 S2 2015 S1 2016 S2 2016 Need for adoption 1

Develop vision on the role of the European

Veterinary Profession in future sustainable

keeping of animals (both from an AH, AW, PH,

food waste, ethics, human-animal bond, food

security and sustainability angle).

YES,

NOV 15?

2

Develop vision of ethical welfare concepts for

individual veterinarians and explore

implementation methods.

YES,

NOV 15? 3

Develop paper on relation between animal

welfare, the use of antibiotics and

antimicrobial resistance

4

Development & implementation of animal-

based indicators for continuous improvement

to the welfare status of animals at farm and

during slaughter

?

5

Work towards updating & better

implementation of Reg. (EC) 1/2005 on the

transport conditions for animals, with special

focus on unhandled and low value animals

?

6

Develop AW standards in conjunction with

Vetcee e.g. for approved welfare officer in

slaughterhouse

?

7

Follow EC/FVE animal welfare practical

workshops NO

8

Work on farmer & animal owners education ? 9

Develop an FVE/UEVP/FECAVA stray dog policy Yes, S1 2015 10

Work towards harmonized regulations for the

trade of puppies throughout Europe, including

role of vets

?

11

Develop stray cat policy Yes, 2016? 12

Give input to Commission guidelines on

manipulative material, environmental

enrichment and tail docking pigs

NO

13

Work towards ban pig castration issue &

follow Commission working group NO

14

Finalize work on FVE draft position re traveling

circuses YES, 2015

Federation of Veterinarians of Europe

www.fve.org

1951: Treaty of Paris

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European Community for Coal and Steel

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The Netherlands and Luxembourg