1. OIE Animal Welfare Standards and animal transportation Chapters
Regional Workshop on “OIE Standards – Facilitating safe international trade”
April 14-15, 2017.
Dubai, UAE
Dr Leopoldo Stuardo Escobar Charge de mission – Animal Welfare World Organisation for Animal Health

2. Agenda OIE Standards on Animal Welfare
Current and future OIE activities on animal welfare
Transport of animals – OIE Code Chapters 7.2., 7.3. and 7.4.
Action Plan - Regional Animal Welfare Strategies

3. OIE Standards on Animal Welfare

4. The OIE and animal welfare: a strategic commitment
The OIE’s longstanding commitment to Animal Welfare was recently reaffirmed in its 6th Strategic Plan ( ).
Why:
Historic role of the OIE in protecting animal health
Animal health is a key component of animal welfare.
Through its strategic engagement, the OIE is recognised globally as the leader in setting international animal welfare standards.

5. Challenges for OIE
Complexity of Animal Welfare with important scientific, ethical, cultural, religious, economic and political dimensions.
Essential to have a scientific base, but for adoption, account must be taken of other dimensions.
Need to address AW on a global basis.
OIE standards need to be relevant to all Members;
Livestock production systems are extremely diverse, even within the same country

6. OIE Standards on Animal Welfare
Terrestrial Animal Health Code: Section 7 (
Introduction to the recommendations for animal welfare (2003)
Transport of animals by land (2005)
Transport of animals by sea (2005)
Transport of animals by air (2005)
Slaughter of animals for human consumption (2005)
Killing of animals for disease control purposes (2005)
Control of stray dog populations (2009)
Use of animals in research and education (2010)
Animal Welfare and Beef Cattle Production Systems (2012)
Animal Welfare and Broiler Chicken Production Systems (2013)
Animal Welfare and Dairy Cattle Production Systems (2015)
Welfare of Working Equids (2016)

7. OIE Standards on Animal Welfare
Aquatic Animal Health Code: Section 7 (
Introduction to recommendations for the welfare of farmed fish
Welfare of farmed fish during transport (2009)
Welfare aspects of stunning and killing of farmed fish for human consumption (2010)
Killing of farmed fish for disease control purposes (2012)

8. From the OIE Guiding principles for animal welfare
That the use of animals carries with it an ethical responsibility to ensure the welfare of such animals to the greatest extent practicable.
That improvements in farm animal welfare can often improve productivity and food safety, and hence lead to economic benefits.
That equivalent outcomes based on performance criteria, rather than identical systems based on design criteria, be the basis for comparison of animal welfare standards and recommendations

9. Concept of the welfare in production systems in the OIE AW Code Chapters: Outcome-based measures
INPUT
OUTCOME
Indicate
the animal’s welfare
(welfare indicator)
Animal factors
Resources available (Resource- based measures)
Response of of the animal
Effects on
the animal
(Measurables)
Animal
tries
to cope
Management practices (Management - based measures)
Hazards and Risk factors
Consequences

10. Current and future OIE activities on animal welfare

11. OIE animal welfare activities and priorities (1)
Standard setting work program - General
Updating and creating international standards including broad consultation of industry, NGOs, etc.
Improve participation by all OIE Members, and all parties, in the standard setting process.
Raise awareness at national and regional level on the significance of international animal welfare standards
Increase involvement of scientific community and understanding of regional issues through OIE Collaborating Centres on AW

12. OIE animal welfare activities and priorities (2)
Standard setting work program – Specific
Animal Production systems
Pig (AHG meeting, February 2017)
Laying hens (AHG meeting November 2016)
Other
Killing methods for farmed reptiles for skin and meat
Disaster management and risk reduction in relation to animal health, animal welfare and veterinary public health

13. OIE animal welfare activities and priorities (3)
Implementation of OIE Standards
Capacity building for Veterinary Services
Animal Welfare Focal Point Seminars
Donor funded training programmes
Regional Animal Welfare Strategies (RAWS)
Strengthen collaboration between private and public partners

14. Guadalajara, Mexico, 6-8 December 2016

16. Transport of animals Chapters 7.2., 7.3. and 7.4.

17. Chapter 7.3: Transport of Animals by Land
General principles of transport applicable in all countries with different levels of infrastructure
Aspirational standard/ ratified by all 178 countries
More outcome based than prescriptive
Framework for understanding of basics of animal welfare during transport

18. Preamble
Provisions apply to transport of cattle, buffaloes, camels, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry and equines
largely applicable to some other animals e.g. deer, other camelids and ratites.
Wild animals and feral animals may need different conditions.

19. Understanding of animal behaviour

20. Responsibilities
Owners
Handlers
Business agents
Transport agents
Managers of facilities
Competent authorities

21. Responsibilities of competent authorities
Setting standards
Animal welfare and fitness to travel
Transport and loading facilities
Competencies of drivers and handlers
Implementation of standards and monitoring effectiveness of standards
Ensuring training for drivers and handlers
Giving animal consignments priority at the frontiers 

22. Planning and preparation – pre journey
Preparation of vehicles and facilities
Preparation of drivers and documentation
Preparation of animals
Fitness to travel , compatible groups
Adaptation to handling, new diet
Preparation for emergencies
Preparation of journey plans - rest water
and feed

23. Space allowance
Space allowances vary according position i.e. standing (horses) lying (cattle)
Those animals that lie down should be able to do so without being on top of another
Space adjustments according to character of journey and weather
More headroom for air circulation required in hot climates

24. Loading
Supervision
Facilities
Handling
Goads/tools

25. Travel
Restraint
Regulating the environment
Management of sick,injured and dead animals
Rest periods
Observation of animals

26. Unloading
Design
Dealing with sick
and injured animals
Cleaning and
disinfection

27. Actions in the event of a refusal to allow the completion of the journey
A) importing country should make available isolation facilities to allow secure holding of animals, without posing a risk to the health of their national herd or flock, IF A) is not possible than B) applies: B) to allow provisioning of the vehicle with water and feed as necessary; If the matter cannot be promptly resolved, the Competent Authorities of the exporting and importing countries should call on the OIE to mediate.

28. Regional Animal Welfare Strategies

29. OIE Regional animal welfare strategies (RAWS)
Support implementation of the OIE animal welfare standards by Member countries.
Details and objectives vary from region to region
Agreed framework and guidance for countries through Action Plans.
OIE Regions of the Americas, Asia Pacific and Oceania, Europe (Platform) and Middle East have adopted a RAWS.

30. Middle east OIE Regional animal welfare strategies (MERAWS) objectives of the ME AW Action Plan for
Overall objective:
to improve animal welfare in the Middle East.
Strategic objective:
to empower Veterinary Services to take actions in Animal Welfare in compliance with OIE standards.

31. Middle east OIE Regional animal welfare strategies (MERAWS) objectives of the ME AW Action Plan for
3 Specific Objectives:
To raise awareness and achieve high level of understanding of animal welfare in the Middle East
To support progressive implementation of the OIE standards on animal welfare in the Middle East
To encourage the participation of member countries of the OIE Regional Commission for the Middle East in the OIE standard setting process

32. Middle east OIE Regional animal welfare strategies (MERAWS) Scope of the ME AW Action Plan for
Transport of animals by sea (OIE TAHC Chapter 7.2)
Transport of animals by land (OIE TAHC Chapter 7.3)
Slaughter of animals (OIE TAHC Chapter 7.5)
Stray dog population control (OIE TAHC Chapter 7.7)

33. “whole journey concept from export to slaughter”
Middle east OIE Regional animal welfare strategies (MERAWS) proposal of activity for the ME RAWS Action Plan for
Support the establishment of a sustainable process aiming at improving the welfare of the slaughtering livestock in the context of inter-regional trade to the Middle East from export to slaughter.
“whole journey concept from export to slaughter”

34. Gracias por su atención Merci beaucoup pour votre attention.
Thank you for your attention.
Merci beaucoup pour votre attention.