Working with the OIE to improve international animal welfare: the Australian approach

J Gardner Murray and Kristy McPhillips

Animal welfare is a complex, multifaceted international policy issue with scientific, economic, religious, regional and cultural dimensions. Key to success is the support and constructive inputs from animal welfare organisations, livestock industries and farmer groups, science organisations, the veterinary professions and government. The 1st World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) Global Animal Welfare Conference in Paris in 2004 paved the way for the development of international animal welfare guidelines through a science based approach. Since that time five OIE animal welfare guidelines have been developed and unanimously adopted at the 73rd Annual General Session of the International Committee of the OIE in 2005.

These guidelines covered slaughter for human consumption, land transport, sea transport, air transport and humane killing of animals for disease control purposes. In addition to work already complete, the following guidelines are being developed: aquatic animal transport and slaughter, stray dog control, wildlife issues, laboratory animals, and housing and management of production animals. A key challenge is to ensure adoption of the guidelines, and to facilitate this, the 2nd OIE Global Conference on Animal Welfare will be held in Cairo, Egypt from 20-22 October, 2008, to consider implementation issues. OIE Regional Commissions are expected to play a vital role in this regard. In view of the importance Australia attaches to animal welfare, it has assisted OIE to meet its animal welfare objectives in areas such as standards adoption by providing funding support for the development of Regional Strategies in Asia, the Far East and Oceania as well as the Middle East. The Regional Animal Welfare Strategy for Asia, the Far East and Oceania (the Strategy) was endorsed by the OIE International Committee in May 2008. Australia will continue to support OIE by funding a ‘Think Tank’ to further progress the implementation of the Strategy after the outcomes of the OIE Global Animal Welfare Conference are known.