Today we published our comprehensive review of how animal welfare legislation is enforced and delivered in Scotland.
Animal Welfare in Scotland: A review of legislation, enforcement and delivery is intended to provide a clear picture of the legislation, delivery mechanisms and resources available to protect and promote the welfare of all animals in Scotland. This includes companion animals, farmed animals and free-living wild animals.
Our Policy Director Libby Anderson said: "As campaigners, we don't think there is any point in shouting from the sidelines if we don't even know the rules of the game. If we wish to influence politicians to prioritise animal welfare then a degree of common understanding is crucial."
"OneKind has set out to provide a guide to the legislation, the mechanisms and the resources that are intended to protect Scotland's animals, so that we can all have a clearer picture of how welfare services work in practice."
It is understood the report is the only current publication to summarise the issues associated with this diverse and occasionally controversial area. Its publication comes as the Scottish Government prepares to engage with stakeholders on a new Animal Health and Welfare Strategy to start in 2015.
It is hoped the report will prove useful to policy makers, students and campaigners among others. Much of the information within the report was obtained through a survey of enforcement authorities, advisory bodies and animal welfare charities and was carried out with the co-operation of the Scottish Government Animal Health and Welfare Division, the Animal Health Veterinary Laboratories Association, the COSLA Animal Health and Welfare Strategy Group and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The research was carried out on behalf of OneKind by Fiona Cooke BSc MA Law over the summer of 2013 and was generously funded by the R S Macdonald Charitable Trust.