IFAW Sponsors International Workshop to Promote China Animal Welf are Legislation

[Guest guest]

(Beijing, China ¨C 31 May 2002) ¨C More than twenty representatives from

government, NGOs, media , and research institutes from around the world came

together this week in Beijing to promote animal welfare legislation in China

at the International Workshop on Animal Welfare Legislation held by the

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW-www.ifaw.org).

 

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The workshop was the first of its kind in China, and included the

involvement of key government agencies, including the State Environment

Protection Agency, Beijing Forestry Administration, Civil Affair and

Legislation Department of Beijing Municipality, China Wildlife Conservation

Association, and China Zoo Association.

 

 

 

During the workshop, Dr. Natalie Waran, Senior Lecturer in Applied Animal

Behavior and Welfare from the University of Edinburgh introduced the

development and operation of animal welfare legislation in the U.K. Dr. Song

Wei, Director of Scientific Legislation Studies of China Science and

Technology University also presented his study on the Vision of Animal

Welfare Legislation in China. Following the presentations, participants held

group discussions on challenges facing animal welfare legislation in China,

legislation to protect animals in captivity, and legislation to enhance pet

regulation in the country.

 

 

 

Participants shared the opinion that although there is a Wildlife Protection

Law in China, there is a vacuum for legal protection of wild animals in

captivity and of those used in experiments and entertainment shows.

Participants also noted that it is essential to acknowledge the legal status

of all animals and introduce the laws protecting animals against

ill-treatment and securing welfare for animals in China step-by-step based

on the existing relevant laws and regulations.

 

 

 

¡°We are encouraged to see that more and more experts and government

officials are paying attention to animal welfare issues in China,¡± said

Aster Zhang, IFAW China Acting Country Director. ¡°We hope that the

government will take into consideration the constructive suggestions made by

experts here and move forward to introduce animal welfare laws in China.¡±

 

 

 

In response to officials¡¯ request at the workshop for more detailed

suggestions on provisional animal welfare laws in China, an IFAW supported

consultant will help provide a draft of the laws to be submitted to relevant

government agencies in the near future.

 

 

 

For further information on IFAW? animal welfare legislation work around the

globe, or to support these important efforts, visit: www.ifaw.org.

 

 

 

 

 

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