Shelter for Farmed Animals
Across Australia, millions of animals are suffering from exposure to the elements because they do not have access to shade or shelter.
Despite knowing the impacts of extreme weather on farmed animals and recommending shelter and shade, it is not mandatory for farmers to provide the animals with this basic requirement. Current state, Territory and Commonwealth standards, either fail completely to include shelter requirements or refer to non-mandatory standards, such as animals "should", rather than "must", be given sufficient or adequate shelter.
Farmed animals, like all animals, are sentient beings, meaning they experience a range of emotions from happiness to pain, fear, and stress. Being exposed to extreme weather, from heatwaves to high winds, rain, extreme cold, and even hail is stressful for the animals. Shelter must be recognised as a basic welfare requirement.
This petition is calling on the Australian government to:
make adequate and sufficient shelter a mandatory requirement for all animals on farms and feedlots, and in sale yards and holding pens,
set a clear definition of what 'adequate' and 'sufficient' shelter means to reduce any inconsistencies, and
introduce mandatory monitoring regimes and penalties for those who fail to provide any animal with shelter.