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Posted: 20th March 2025

World Horse Welfare calls for improved equine laws
World Horse Welfare hopes its White Paper will be used to inform legislation.
It asks that new legislative commitments are extended to non-farming equines.

World Horse Welfare has called for improved animal welfare legislation to protect both farming and non-farming horses, donkeys and mules.

It follows the release of the European Commission’s Vision for Agriculture and Food – a document committing to updating the European Union (EU) animal welfare legislation.

The publication has been welcomed by World Horse Welfare, which is now calling for the laws to be extended to all of Europe’s horses, donkeys and mules, and not just those kept for farming. It has also appealed for any changes to the law to be made with scientific evidence.

In his latest address Oliver Várhelyi, the European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, outlined a commitment to the ‘End of the Cage Age’ initiative. The initiative brings organisations together to eliminate the use of cages in animal farming.

However, World Horse Welfare has said that the initiative provides no detail on how the animal welfare rules would be modernised within the EU.

It says that it is ‘crucial’ that there is a comprehensive review of EU animal welfare legislation. It also believes that any changes should be informed by the latest scientific evidence.

World Horse Welfare cites a White Paper, Good Welfare for Equids, as a key component to reforming equine legislation. Compiled by experts, and published by Eurogroup for Animals, has already received support from charities and welfare organisations.

The charity suggests that the White Paper, which includes the latest scientific evidence and welfare indicators, should inform future legislation. This could include a digital equine identification system, which World Horse Welfare says is the cornerstone of protecting equine welfare.

Jessica Stark, director of communications and public affairs at World Horse Welfare, said: “By basing any new welfare laws on evidence, including the widely-accepted Five Domains model of animal welfare assessment, our aspiration is for the EU to move beyond basic standards of ‘a life worth living’ to providing all of Europe’s horses, donkeys and mules with a ‘good life'.”
 
“The White Paper highlights the vital need for a consistent, robust, practical, and enforceable approach to identification and traceability for all equids across Europe if their welfare is to be protected, and laws enforced.”

The White Paper, Good Welfare for Equids, is available here.

Image © World Horse Welfare



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