On the morning of June 20th, the launching ceremony of the “Farm Animal Welfare Promotion Award” was held at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences. This award is the first public welfare award for farm animal welfare in China, jointly sponsored by the World Animal Protection Association (World Animal Protection), the China Veterinary Association (CVMA), and the China Agricultural International Cooperation Promotion Association (CAPIAC).
The ceremony was hosted by Zili Jia, Secretary General of the Animal Welfare Health Services and Welfare Branch of the China Veterinary Association.
In a subsequent speech, Jinluo Wang, Executive Deputy Secretary General of the Chinese Veterinary Association, introduced that World Animal Protection was established in 1981, and has dedicated itself to animal protection for over 30 years. Headquartered in London, it is active in more than 50 countries around the world. The organization actively promotes the concept and practice of animal protection. Internationally, holding a comprehensive consultative status with the United Nations ensures that animal protection is included in the global issues that need to be addressed, explaining to the world that animal protection is mutually beneficially for both humans and nonhuman animals.
China is a big producer of animal products. In order to promote the enactment of animal welfare legislation, the China Animal Welfare Association was established in 2013. It has demonstrated its commitment to the advancement of animal welfare by executing various animal welfare projects.
Mr. Zhonghua Zhao, China’s Chief Representative of the World Animal Protection Association, remarked that just like humans, animals also have morality and emotions. China’s cultural inheritance should also include animal protection.
Moreover, animal welfare standards must be adopted by the livestock industry in the near future. The “Farm Animal Welfare Promotion Award” aims to promote the implementation of animal welfare standards in slaughterhouses and other enterprises.
Chunling Xi, Executive Director of the China Council for the Promotion of International Cooperation of Animal Welfare (ICCAW), explained that prior to this ceremony, the ICCAW conducted a questionnaire among the masses. The survey results show that welfare animal farming in China has a high degree of public recognition: 84% of those surveyed are willing to purchase welfare-rated products, and 70% are willing to purchase welfare-rated products at a price 10% higher than non-welfare-rated products.
Therefore, she hopes that these animal welfare prizes will make the public more acceptive of animal welfare.
Professor Xianhong Gu, an animal welfare expert for 20 years, reported to the guests and media outlets present at the ceremony the significant progress China has made in farm animal welfare. At present, China’s farm animal welfare standards have been promulgated, in conjunction with the launch of relevant national scientific research plans.
All information and photos come from FeedTrade.com:
http://www.feedtrade.com.cn/news/enterprise/2014-06-24/2017950.html
Translated by Sherry Yao and edited by Riley Peng @ Animal Dialogue
