A recent Eurobarometer survey has revealed that over 80% of Europeans believe that protecting animal welfare is essential. The survey also found that 84% of Europeans believe that the welfare of farm animals should be better protected in their country, and a similar number support limiting the transportation time of animals.
In Spain, the figures are similar to the EU average, with 80% of those surveyed believing that farm animals should be better protected, 83% supporting the limitation of travel time for live animals, and 74% expressing the opinion that pets should be protected more.
The survey also showed that more than 90% of Europeans believe that agricultural and breeding practices should comply with basic ethical requirements, such as offering animals enough space, food, water, and environments adapted to their needs. There was also a high level of concern about the welfare of animals in slaughterhouses, with three-quarters of respondents considering the practice of killing male chicks after birth to be unacceptable.
Regarding food imports from non-EU countries, 84% of Europeans believe that the current situation for animals should change, either by applying EU animal welfare standards to food imports or by labeling food according to applied standards. Additionally, 60% of respondents indicated that they would be willing to pay more for products from animal-friendly agricultural systems.
In response to these concerns, the European Commission proposed new legislation on December 7 to improve animal transport conditions in the EU. The legislation, which represents the largest European reform in the area of animal welfare in the last two decades, focuses on tightening the conditions under which movement can occur in terms of temperature, duration of the trip, or condition of the vehicle. These standards will apply to a variety of animals and include maximum trip durations and rest requirements.
The proposed legislation aims to address the concerns raised in the Eurobarometer survey and to ensure that the welfare of animals in the EU is better protected.