Closed petition Amend DEFRA's guidelines on animal welfare. They condone "necessary" suffering.

Closed on 28 May 2019

If a case of alleged cruelty to farm animals reaches the courts the judiciary has to decide how much suffering is "necessary" and there is ample evidence to suggest that the benchmark is taken from what is current practice within the farming industry at that particular time.

Historically, cases have been brought to court where farm animals have clearly been subjected to suffering but if their suffering is deemed to be no more than is in keeping with standard practice at the time the case is brought, the animals' suffering is considered "necessary" and the case dismissed. The current guidelines refer to unnecessary suffering, so by implication, some suffering is necessary and to decide how much, the courts look to the very industry that causes the suffering. The word "unnecessary" needs to be omitted.