in one new report Published in Animals Journal, a team of veterinarians and biologists define what “short-term” should mean when it comes to animal housing — less than 24 hours.
The study analyzes how stress and in particular cumulative microstress events can affect the health and well-being of animals and why the circadian cycle of 24 hours should be regarded as the upper limit for short-term housing. Within 24 hours, all animals should be moved to higher standard environments consistent with long-term care and their complex welfare needs.
The report harshly criticizes the UK government (Defra) for failing to justify pet shops being allowed to keep animals in lower standard housing conditions for up to 3 months, and for even exempting large breeders from retail standards of care. The report states that Defra “Regulations regarding acceptable short-term, transitional, or transitional housing…were highly contradictory and lacked any scientific justification.”.
By contrast, the Welsh Government is credited with voluntarily improving the English guidance by reducing the short-term provision to 7 days, which the report says is still too long. In comparison, scientific studies are usually considered short-term, ranging from hours to a few days.
says dr Clifford Warwick, biologist and author of the report: “Modern science shows that captive animals require housing with ample space, habitat diversity, many opportunities for mental, behavioral, and physical exercise, stimulating enrichment, and often complex temperature, light, and humidity conditions, among other things. But animals kept in pet shops, for example, are often kept under lower standard conditions for weeks or months – with the untenable approval of Defra.”
The report also highlights where Defra applies arbitrary definitions of short-term, citing, for example, that while all mobile zoo animals must be brought to higher standard conditions within one day, Defra gives pet shops the full three-month grace period.
Says Catrina Steedman, biologist and author of the report: “The UK government claims to be the world leader in animal welfare, but Defra’s eagerness to give the pet industry more space than animals calls that into question. We do not condone subjecting animals to lower welfare standards, even for a short time. However, we recognize that animals are transported and stored for a variety of reasons and the evidence clearly suggests that this needs to be kept to the very bare minimum.”
Snakes are used as a case study showing that Defra is once again falling behind the Welsh Government by currently allowing vendors to keep these animals in containers where they cannot fully stretch for three months – a problem that many veterinary and raised scientific concerns. The Welsh Government stipulates that snakes must be able to fully stretch under all conditions in captivity. The report notes that Defra has historically used the pet industry itself as its primary advisor on retail practices, which may account for the overly long definition of ‘near-term’. This allows stores to keep animals at the retailer’s discretion, rather than conforming to animal welfare requirements.
says dr Mike Jessop, veterinarian and author of the report: “This is an important piece of science to add to the growing body of evidence on the care of animals in captivity. Whenever we bring an animal into captivity, we have a responsibility to ensure we maximize compassionate care. The global incorporation of animal laws is the expectation that every captive and/or controlled animal can lead a good life. The UK should be at the forefront of setting the standard and a very good life should be our minimum expectation. The length of captivity, which is expected to lead to a very good life, is the important basis for the development of regulations on care in captivity. This paper aims to help inform regulators of definitions and deadlines for the introduction of baseline housing parameters.”
says dr Rachel Grant of London South Bank University, biologist and author of the report: “A uniform definition of short-term in relation to animal husbandry is long overdue. Currently, the guidelines appear arbitrary and not based on welfare science. Our findings that the definition of short-term should be less than one circadian cycle will help bring consistency to a currently ill-defined area of animal husbandry, and thus improve the welfare of animals in temporary facilities.”
Report recommendations
- The determinations for short-term, transient, transitional, or other similar intended states should infer periods of less than a single circadian cycle (typically <24>
- All animals in all facilities should be subject to the consistent circadian cycle as a principle for determining maximum short-term, transient, or other transitional conditions.
- All animals in all facilities must be housed under superior or other similarly recognized conditions consistent with long-term husbandry and best practices wherever housing persists beyond the single circadian principle.
- Best practice examples for short-term, temporary, or other transitional conditions should include higher standards of care.
- Short-term keeping of animals in lower standard conditions should be minimized and only for documented and essential reasons.
- All animals in all facilities should be subject to government-mandated identification and registration upon arrival and departure to accurately record their periods.
For more information please contact lead author Clifford Warwick on cliffordwarwick@gmail.com or 07903 528702
Article details: Warwick C, Steedman C, Jessop M, Grant R. Defining Short-Term Accommodation for Animals. Animals. 2023; 13(4):732. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/4/732
