Page 438 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 13 March 2007
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ethics committee; authorisations for research and teaching purposes are to include breeding of animals for research or teaching purposes; animal experimentation ethics committees will become broader and be called animal ethics committees; the circuses section has been expanded and now includes travelling zoos; and the prohibition of glue traps and metal-toothed rodent traps has been included in the regulations.
One other concern I have about the act, its amendments and regulations, is that it does not appear to be the case that research, breeding and teaching licences are required to have an evacuation plan for animals under their responsibility in case of fire, or requirements that such a plan be part of their licence application. During the 18 January fires we know that animals in cages at the RSPCA were fortunately rescued by well-meaning community-minded citizens. We also know that a number of horses—but not all—were at the last moment rescued by citizens, some of whom suffered injury. It would seem to me that it makes sense to have evacuation plans for animals. I know we do not always have adequate evacuation plans for humans but I hope that this is one area that we will be addressing. Implicitly, such a fire plan could be incorporated into clause 27 (2) (a) and (b), which looks at the ability of applicants and premises to care for and handle animals. But it is not explicit in the act, and this is something the Greens would like to see implemented in the future.
Although I support this bill I am sure we agree that there is always room for improvement. Animal welfare legislation across Europe is certainly a lot stronger than Australia’s. Sometimes, of course, it is difficult to distinguish between good sense and overzealousness based on anthropomorphic emotions. For instance, the jury is still out on whether Rome’s banning of round fishbowls has a biological basis. Rome’s Il Messaggero newspaper reported that round bowls cause fish to go blind. Well, Mr Speaker, nobody wants fish to go blind and maybe we should be looking into the impact of round bowls ourselves. No-one at the Rome council could confirm that this is why they were banned. However, many experts said that round bowls provide insufficient oxygen for fish. Mr Speaker, tiny ornamental round bowls are often justified on the basis that fish have short memories and think that every time they swim around it is the first time. I would like to know how anybody knows how much a fish remembers.
The Italian city of Turin passed a law to fine pet owners up to 500 euros if they did not walk their dogs at least three times a week. There is always the issue of how anyone would know whether a dog has not been walked at least three times a week. Also, you would have to take into account whether it was dangerous to walk a dog, as would be the case in the example I gave of a dog dying because it had been walked in the middle of a very hot day. It would be rather absurd if, to meet the conditions of the law, dogs were put in life-endangering situations. The devocalisation and declawing of dogs is another area, along with dewclaw removal, that I think we could look at in the next round of improvements.
Let me say again that I support the proposed amendments in this bill, including the amendment tabled today, but the proof is going to be in the enforcement. Many of the discussed practices, such as all animal welfare issues, still occur in people’s backyards, properties and laboratories. However, concerted education campaigns, along with stronger enforcement, will help to ensure that the right things are being done to improve the lot of creatures who rely entirely upon humans for their health and
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