Vote for Farm Animals | Campaigns | RSPCA - RSPCA
A better future for farmed animals
With a General Election on the horizon, now is the time to ensure that the welfare of farmed animals is a top priority for the next UK Government. With your help, we want to secure a commitment from future MPs to protect the welfare of farmed animals.
Our goals
We want a commitment to protect and prioritise the welfare of farmed animals and would like to see the next UK Government work towards the following:
- 1 A clear vision for the future of livestock farming: A species-specific redesigning of livestock farming systems is required, which starts from the point of view of the animals being farmed. This animal-first approach should identify what healthy animals, with good welfare characteristics, need to live a good life. A system, which ensures they can live a good life, can then be developed. This should also be nature positive: maximising wildlife wellbeing. Transition plans should then be developed to deliver that vision.
- 2 Support for higher welfare farming practices: Encouraging and supporting farmers in adopting higher welfare farming practices. This includes providing financial incentives and resources for those who transition to higher welfare farming systems. Ideally, these payments should link to enabling farmers to progress towards achieving the vision for the future of livestock farming.
- 3 Strengthening legislation: Laws must be strengthened to improve welfare standards on farms. To include ending the use of cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for pigs, and providing farm animals with more space and dairy cattle with access to pasture.
- 4 Transparency and labelling: Consumers should have clear information about the welfare standards of the animal products they purchase. Implementing transparent labelling systems will help consumers to make more informed choices and support higher welfare producers.
Your voice matters
We need your voice to make a difference. By contacting prospective parliamentary candidates in your area, you can help make sure the welfare of farmed animals is on their agenda. Send a message to candidates, asking them to pledge their support for a better deal for farmed animals. Please share any responses you receive with us from prospective parliamentary candidates.
Why farmed animal welfare matters
The way farm animals are currently treated is not acceptable. Despite growing public awareness and concern, significant changes are still needed to give farm animals a good life. Recent RSPCA surveys reveal that:
- 84 percent of people believe that animal welfare should be protected through legislation.*
- 64 percent of people believe the government is responsible for ensuring the welfare of farmed animals.*
It’s clear that animal welfare is a priority to the public, and it is up to our elected representatives to take decisive action.
Take immediate action – ban caging farmed animals!
Every year across the UK, millions of farmed animals are kept in cages. They're unable to freely express their natural behaviours and they experience unimaginable suffering. These inhumane systems cannot be the future of British farming.
In 2024 the Scottish Government launched a consultation to end the use of cages and we believe the UK Government should follow suit in the first 100 days after election. We’d like to see the UK Government show its commitment to improving the welfare of farmed animals by launching a consultation to end the practice of using cages and close confinement systems.
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*6,053 UK adults surveyed by YouGov online between 27th March and 10th April 2024