European Commission: Keep your promises to the animals
It's time to improve European animal welfare.
With the European Commission breaking its promise by publishing only one of the four long-awaited proposals, as part of the review of EU animal welfare legislation, much is at stake in the coming years. By backtracking on these promises, they also failed to uphold their democratic responsibility to respond to European citizens' initiatives as well as citizens' expectations in general.
Project 1882 strongly urges the European Commission to make animal welfare a key priority in its next mandate and deliver on the broken promises as quickly as possible. Are you with us? Sign the petition today to put an end to the suffering.
European Commission: Keep your promises to the animals
To the European Commission: It's time to improve European animal welfare. Billions of animals in Europe suffer each year. Nowhere in the world are there more animals, than on factory farms. They are treated as products, even though they are sentient individuals with their own interests and needs.
5 555 underskrifter - Nu satsar vi på 7 500!
De senaste namnunderskrifterna - Tillsammans förändrar vi världen!
For the kindness, to living creatures
I love animals ❤️
We need to strengthen the protection of our animals and treat them better!
I will help the animal have a god life.
Djurens rätt att få må bra som oss människor.
Tha animals deserve better!!
Djur har rätt till ett bra liv.
A decent life for all, including animals!
I am signing because I want that animals have good conditions for their lives and to live a decent life.
The major animal welfare issues in Europe
Below are some of the most pressing problems for animals in Europe.
Chickens
More than 11 billion chickens are killed each year in Europe. Frankenchickens are widely used in Europe, and the speed in which they grow causes them immense pain. They are expected to grow 50 times their weight during their lifetime of approximately 35 days.
Male chicks
About 1 million newly hatched male chicks from the egg industry are killed each day in Europe. The male chicks get sorted out at the hatchery by hand, and they are then thrown on conveyor belts that lead to a grinder with sharp knives or to a small gas chamber. Research and contemporary innovation have developed methods for determining the gender of embryos in eggs, before they hatch, in order to avoid the need for killing sentient chicks.
Cows
On average, cows on dairy farms get to live for five years before being slaughtered. To produce milk, they will have to get pregnant every year. Their calves are taken away from them shortly after being born.
Pigs
The vast majority of pigs live on factory farms and never get to go outside to root in the ground. The indoor environments are cramped and barren. The most common method of stunning pigs at the slaughterhouse is using carbon dioxide, and it is used both for organically and conventionally raised pigs. Pigs experience strong discomfort and feelings of suffocation from carbon dioxide. They often struggle to get away from the gas for up to 1,5 minutes before losing consciousness.
Fish
Wild fish are not covered by any animal welfare legislation. The common way that fish die in fisheries by suffocation after being caught, death by strangulation or gutting while still conscious. This can mean that they suffer for several hours before they die.
Fur industry
Animals in the fur industry are bred, live a few months and are then slaughtered for their fur. The rest of their body is rarely used. It is a horrible industry that exists to satisfy the demand for luxury goods and details in clothing which causes millions of animals to be killed.
Transport of animals
Transportation is a major source of distress and risk of injury for animals. Stressors include mixing with unfamiliar individuals during transportation, severe cold or heat, congestion, truck oscillations and vibrations, hunger and thirst, and the unfamiliar environment. In the EU, generally the time for transporting animals to slaughter may not exceed eight hours within the country. But there are several derogations, including if borders are crossed. This means that animals in transport can spend several days on the road between European countries.
What we demand from the European Commission
Given the urgency and scale of these issues, we call upon the European Commission to take decisive action. Below are our specific demands to the European Commission.
-
Deliver a full review of EU animal welfare legislation
-
Deliver on the promise to phase out cages for farm animals, in line with the End the Cage Age initiative.
-
Ban fur farms and fur products from the European market, in line with the Fur Free Europe initiative.
-
Give animals a stronger voice by establishing an Animal Welfare Commissioner, in line with the EU for Animals campaign.
-
Deliver legislation for a sustainable food system that takes animals into account
Through political advocacy, targeted campaigns, and fostering corporate relationships, Project 1882 strives for a world where animals are respected as sentient beings with the right to their own lives. Are you with us and want to make a difference for the animals in Europe? Sign the petition today.