Pigeonbasics.com

Extract from Herald Friday 7th October.

The new Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Bill unveiled yesterday …(places) a duty of care on pet owners (and) would allow action to be taken to protect animals before suffering occurs….oulaws animals as prizes….safeguards the welfare of domestic, pet and captive animals…includes measures to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks and enhance the Scottish Executive’s ability to respond where they emerge….


“SCHEDULE 3A
(introduced by section 32E)

POWER OF SLAUGHTER FOR PREVENTING SPREAD OF DISEASE: SCOTLAND

Exercise of powers of slaughter

7 The Scottish Ministers may, in relation to a disease, exercise a power of slaughter conferred by paragraphs 1 to 6 whether or not the animals, birds or amphibians concerned—

(a) are affected with the disease or suspected of being affected with the disease;

(b) are or have been in contact with animals, birds or amphibians affected
with the disease;

(c) have been in any way exposed to the disease; or

(d) have been treated with serum or vaccine (or both) against the disease.


http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/bills/pdfs/b47s2-introd.pdf


Although this is a Scottish Bill, all of the UK will have the same provisions contained within the same Bill in their own particular legislation.

These provisions are of particular interest to people who keep birds and are required by law to vaccinate them, for example against Paramyxo. If these provisions had been Law when the outbreak of Newcastle Disease occurred amongst imported farmed pheasants in Southern England, they would have allowed wholesale slaughter of vaccinated racing pigeons within X miles of that outbreak.

As if we didn't have enough to contend with at this time.  

One for the Unions, methinks.

Caught a snippet of discussion on BBC2 Politics Show today on the England Bill.

Dame Judi Dench's submission on greyhound racing; email comment on horse racing.

Perspective : What constitutes Cruelty?

Judi's submission centres on what happens to the animal after its racing career is finished.

I would like to have seen that and heard the outcome by what I seen not a lot by the actual people who have got them unless of course they are good enough to become a stud or dog or a *expletive removed* good enough to breed out of

Agree Rose, my first thought was that a successful racing pigeon would undoubtedly end up in the stock loft.  

Just a belated thought on the whole end of career aspect though - and a potential business idea for pigeon folks 'retired' from active racing & showing but still keen to have a few birds around them for interest.

If charitable or government funding was made available, 'pensioner' pigeon folks running a 'pensioner' pigeon home? Sounds crazy I know, but then add 'business idea'. £$s up front for doing something you really like?

Belated thoughts on the slaughter policy (original post).  

After hearing the discussion on what constitutes cruelty, (second post) I reckon that this section has been inserted by the government themselves to cover their backs when allegations of cruelty start flying around regards their attitude to farmed animals.

Bearing in mind that 'we' keep these animals to supply us with food, and they are wholly dependant upon 'us' for their safety and welfare, this in my opinion is a way the government can avoid the Duty of Care it seeks to put on the 'rest of us'.

Keeping animals for food, failing to provide the level of protection from disease they require, then slaughtering them when they become diseased, whether or not the animal has the disease, would I think, constitute cruelty in the public eye.

So no cruelty allowed here on these shores - unless you happen to be part of the government's (incompetent) economic animal machine.