Every year in Britain around 2.5 million animals are used in experiments. They are poisoned, scalded, infected, crippled, and starved in the name of science. 850 million animals are slaughtered every year in the UK for food. Most of these animals are farmed intensively, never breathing fresh air or seeing daylight. Their needs are ignored in the pursuit of profit.
Animals are capable of feeling physical pain and mental distress: they deserve to be treated with respect and protected. But their habitats are increasingly under threat, they are still used for ‘entertainment’ in circuses and zoos and they are hunted for ‘sport’.
Our Aims
The Green Party believes that animals have the right to live in safety, without fear or pain caused by human exploitation.
The Green Party would:
- Establish an Animal Rights Officer in every local authority. A section of the Environment Commission would be set up to deal with ethical treatment of animals.
- End all animal experiments, replacing them with more reliable non-animal alternatives, and ban cosmetic testing and xenotransplantation (breeding animals for the harvesting of their organs).
- End factory farming and stop promoting factory farming abroad.
- Support organic farming in small free-range units, and phase out all forms of intensive farming, including fish farms, which are harmful to the environment.
- Ban live exports and genetic manipulation of animals. Patents will not be granted on any animal.
- Protect habitats, ban bloodsports and end badger culling. We would ban the use of animals in circuses and zoos. Sales of fur products would be banned.
- Encourage a reduction in the consumption of animal produce, and promote the development and use of foods which are more healthy and humane.
Addressing Your Concerns
- Why do you support animal rights? Surely people come first...
Believing that animals have rights doesn’t mean that we put animals’ needs ahead of our own. We believe that animals are worthy of respect. Human beings do not have the right to abuse animals.
- Why do you want to reduce meat consumption?
Much of the livestock industry relies on intensive farming methods, which are cruel to animals and harmful to the environment. Current levels of meat consumption are not sustainable. Globally the meat industry contributes to soil erosion, deforestation and climate change. It takes much more land and water to produce meat than it does to feed people on a vegetarian diet. In a world where 800 million people go hungry, reducing consumption of meat is necessary to protect human rights.
- Don’t we need animal experiments to develop new cures and medicines?
Experiments on animals are unreliable as a guide to human biology. Different species react differently to drugs. Many drugs that cause damaging side-effects in people have passed animal tests. There are viable alternatives to animal testing including epidemiology, the use of cell cultures, human tissue and computer simulation. The Green Party would redirect funding to such alternatives. We would also promote preventative health care. Illnesses like heart disease are more likely to be reduced by improving diets and environmental conditions.
- Are you associated with groups using violence to promote animal rights?
No. We campaign for a fairer world, where everyone is treated with respect. We are opposed to the use of violence or intimidation for any cause. We support non-violent direct action, and work with those groups using peaceful methods.
- Shouldn’t people have the freedom to go hunting if they want to?
The Green Party believes that hunting is barbaric and must be outlawed. Studies have shown that hunted animals can die from the simple stress of the hunt, let alone being torn apart. The question is whether individuals should be ‘free’ to inflict pain on another living creature. Most people agree that hunting should be banned.
Learn More
More Information:
Animal Welfare in the Manifesto for a Sustainable Society
Related Sections in the Manifesto for a Sustainable Society:
Agriculture
Countryside
Fisheries
Food
Forestry
