Tasmania to make the battery hen cage history

18 May 2012

In an historic move, Tasmania has become the first Australian state to commit to a complete phase out of battery hen cages. The Tasmanian government also vowed to fast-track the phase out of pregnant sow crates by the middle of next year — well before the pork industry's own target of 2017.

Animals Australia lauded the Tasmanian government's ethical leadership on animal welfare issues.

Campaign Director Lyn White said today:
"For years animal groups and the community have been calling on Australian governments to act on this obvious cruelty. It is tremendous that the Tasmanian government has listened and been prepared to lead both animals and animal industries towards a more humane future."

"Australians have long despaired at the lack of government action on obvious animal welfare issues such as live export and factory farming. The Tasmanian government's decision will be celebrated by every Australian who cares about animal welfare and sets an ethical precedent that all other state governments should be following."

Tasmanian Primary Industry's Minister Bryan Green has announced a 2.5 million dollar initiative to assist Tasmanian egg and pig producers in transitioning to more humane methods of farming – with pregnant sow stalls to no longer be used from the middle of 2013 and moves to be implemented immediately that will lead to an end to battery cage production.

"The Tasmanian government is the first to have the foresight to recognise that good welfare is good business – and that cruelty to animals will never be accepted or condoned by an informed community. They deserve every plaudit for recognising and acting on the wishes of Tasmanians."

"Methods of intensive farming which deny animals' movement and quality of life are indefensible. Finally we have an Australian government acknowledging the obvious – that such inhumanity towards animals cannot be allowed to continue.

"This is an historic day in animal welfare in this country. Enormous credit should go to Animals Australia member society Brightside Farm Animal Sanctuary and their founder Emma Haswell. Emma's courageous investigations brought the suffering of factory farmed animals onto prime time Tasmanian television and played a critical role in this historic decision," concluded Ms White

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See also:Massive newspaper ads fight factory farmingChickens: behind the closed doorsPigs in the City - Appealing for a compassionate ChristmasOpinion: Finally, we are on the brink of calling for a halt to factory farmingHSI urges PM to legislate ‘free range’ egg standard

Australian laws are failing to protect some 500 million animals in factory farms from acts of extreme cruelty, such as intense confinement and surgical mutilations without pain relief. Find out more...

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