The animals get an "upgrade" with a Minister of Animal Welfare in the Brussels Region GAIA on the government agreement: "A good starting point for more animal welfare, but with a big gap"

Thursday, July 18, 2019 - GAIA welcomes the announcement made by the Brussels government. "We are moving from a Secretary of State (Bianca Debaets, CD & V) to a Minister (Bernard Clerfayt, Challenge) of Animal Welfare," says Michel Vandenbosch, President of GAIA. "It's an 'upgrade' for which we worked hard. " Regarding the government agreement, the animal rights organization reacts with mixed feelings. "This is a good starting point, but with a significant gap: why is the ban on slaughter without stunning not included in the government agreement? This is a missed opportunity, whose victims are the animals. "

With the regionalization of Animal Welfare, each Region set up for the first time in 2014 a minister (in Wallonia and Flanders) and a secretary of state (in Brussels) dedicated to the well-being of animals. to be animal. This redistribution of skills has created a positive dynamic that has led to considerable progress in each Region. For the first time, the Brussels-Capital Region will have a full Minister of Animal Welfare. "We hope for a constructive cooperation with the new minister, Bernard Clerfayt, and wish him every success," said Michel Vandenbosch.

He could be more ambitious.

The government agreement recognizes the growing importance that society places on animal welfare, rightly stressing the vulnerability of animals. The basic principle is that animals must be better protected. And the agreement sets out what the government plans to do in this regard over the next five years. "It is incomprehensible, however, that the ban on slaughter without stunning has not been included in the Brussels Government Agreement. This is a big gap, "says Michel Vandenbosch. "GAIA will continue to urge the government to work on this issue in this Parliament. We will continue our actions and campaigns to ban slaughter without stunning."

Drastic reduction of animal experimentation.

With regard to animal testing, the government agreement provides for "a drastic reduction". "But to achieve this, it is not enough to support alternatives to animal testing: it requires a political strategy with concrete measures and objectives to achieve effective results! "Says Michel Vandenbosch.

Police training.

Another positive point is the training of police officers in animal welfare. "The fact that the government wants to include animal welfare in the training of police officers and that it intends to encourage bourgmestres to set up a system of fines for offenses is a very good thing, this can only promote the application of animal welfare legislation and effective police action, "comments the GAIA President. Too often, the police give low priority to animal abuse.

A license to keep animals?

The new government also wants to investigate the possibility that a license, which will be withdrawn in case of abuse or negligence, could prevent some people from keeping animals at home. "Today, an individual who has mistreated an animal ten times can still adopt or buy an animal," says Michel Vandenbosch. "We must put an end to this. "

Dogs, cats and pigeons.

Under the previous government, Bianca Debaets had already intensified the fight against intensive livestock breeders and the import of puppies from eastern countries. The new government will continue this momentum: it plans two regional plans against commercial abuse, one for dogs and one for cats. The new government also intends to adopt a comprehensive regional policy for the management of the pigeon population. GAIA stresses the importance of an approach and solutions that respect animals.

Conclusions.

"The government agreement could have been more ambitious in terms of animal welfare, but it is not a bad starting point for the next five years," says Michel Vandenbosch. Aside from a major drawback: not a word about slaughter without stunning, which remains the Achilles heel of the Brussels-Capital Region in terms of animal suffering. That said, "GAIA is looking forward to constructive cooperation with the new animal welfare minister, Bernard Clerfayt, for a strong and effective animal welfare policy in the Brussels Region", concludes Michel Vandenbosch.