Mass breeding of game birds without welfare checks may be curtailed in England
Summary
The UK government is thinking about tougher laws for pheasant and partridge shooting in England to improve animal welfare and protect the environment. They want to introduce licences for shooting estates and bring game bird welfare rules closer to those for farmed animals.Key Facts
- Ministers plan to introduce licences for people who organise game bird shoots in England.
- Anyone involved in wildlife crimes like poisoning or shooting protected birds would be banned from running shoots.
- Millions of pheasants and partridges are bred and released yearly for shooting; many come from France as chicks or eggs.
- Game birds currently do not have to meet minimum welfare standards that apply to farmed birds like chickens.
- Welfare inspections that apply to chicken farms do not cover sites breeding game birds.
- Releasing many non-native game birds harms local wildlife by competing for food and polluting the environment.
- The government department Defra is consulting on new animal welfare laws and environmental rules for game birds.
- Critics say the issue is politically sensitive in rural areas, with some seeing the government’s moves as harmful to countryside communities.
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