Animal welfare policies and standards of the OIE Beijing, China, 26 – 27 February 2008 Dr Sarah Kahn Head, International Trade Department

The OIE and animal welfare: a strategic engagement Animal welfare has been identified as a strategic priority for the OIE since 2001, under the mandate granted by all Members. Through its strategic engagement, the OIE is recognised globally as the leader in setting international animal welfare standards.

Permanent Animal Welfare Working Group (AWWG) Mission: To provide international leadership in animal welfare through the development of science-based standards and guidelines, provision of expert advice and the promotion of relevant education and research. Members are selected for their expertise and to be broadly representative of the 5 OIE regions. Representatives of international NGOs and industry organizations (IMS, IFAP and IDF) also participate.

OIE Approach Texts must be applicable to 172 OIE Members with diverse socio-economic, cultural and religious contexts. ‘Guiding Principles’ then broad recommendations The OIE adopts an ‘outcomes-based’ not a ‘systems-based’ approach,

OIE ad hoc Groups Convened to develop texts on specific topics, as the basis for OIE standards Academia, government and private sector Previous Groups developed standards on land, sea and air transport, slaughter for human consumption and killing for disease control A current Group is developing recommendations on the control of stray dog populations.

OIE Guiding Principles Animal welfare and health are linked Five freedoms Three R’s (reduction, refinement and replacement) Scientific basis for standards Better animal welfare can improve productivity and deliver economic benefits

OIE Work Program The OIE Global Conference on Animal Welfare (2004) laid the way for the adoption of the standards in 2005 OIE Scientific and Technical Review on Animal Welfare: Global Issues, Trends and Challenges (2005)

OIE Animal Welfare Standards Standards adopted in 2005 for livestock transport of animals by land, sea and air slaughter for human consumption killing for disease control purposes They are regularly revised and updated, based on latest scientific information.

Implementation of standards OIE Regional Commissions are developing strategic animal welfare frameworks to help countries in their regions implement standards appropriate to their local contexts.

Implementation The OIE will hold a 2nd Global Conference on 20-22 October 2008 with the main goal of helping Members implement the OIE animal welfare standards.

OIE Priorities in 2008 Dog population control Farmed fish Laboratory animals Livestock production systems Status of relevant work may be found on the OIE internet site

Sources of information Reports of the Code Commission http://www.oie.int/tahsc/eng/en_reports.htm Proceedings 1st Global Conference on Animal Welfare http://www.oie.int/eng/Welfare_2004/proceedings.pdf Notice of 2nd Global Conference http://www.oie.int/eng/A_AW2008/home.htm Rev. Sci. Tech. Publication http://www.oie.int/eng/publicat/rt/A_RT24_2.htm

Thank you for your attention

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