18 Amendments of Stanislav POLČÁK related to 2016/2077(INI)
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the housing of rabbits kept for farming purposes is one of the central questions discussed among stakeholders involved in their breeding, both with regard to animal welfare and from an economic point of view, but especially with regard to animal welfare;
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the majority of rabbits in the EU are kept in barren environments, oftenusually kept in battery cages;, whereas rabbits are often housed in shedsich can - and often do - vary from countaining 500 to 1 000 breeding females and 10 000 to 20 000 growing rabbitry to country in terms of their specifications;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas the domesticated rabbit has kept most of the wild rabbit’s natural behaviour, and intensive farming systems have severe negative implications for its welfare, for the purposes of intensive farming, breeds of rabbit which grow quickly and early - formerly called 'meat rabbits' - are used, in particular commercial hybrids used in industrial breeding farms for the production of meat animals - rabbits bred especially for the purposes of intensive farming;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas in organic production systems where rabbits are kept in group pens with access to a small area of pasture at the base of the pen, which allows the rabbits more space, increased social interaction and more opportunities for natural behaviour such as gnawing on wooden blocks, eating hay, hiding in tubes and under platforms, standing on their hind legs, lying stretched out, hopping and jumpnd more space overall are a possible alternative to battery farming;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Expresses its concerns that rabbits in thsome EU are usuallyMember States are still being reared in unenriched cages, a barren environ which do not menet that only has a drinker and feeder; also notes with concern that rabbits are fed on pellets and the close confines ofe conditions for optimal farming according to the blattery cages do not allow rabbits to express their natural behaviourest scientific findings;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Acknowledges that in some Member States alternatives to barren-cage farming of rabbits exist which reduce the incidence of disease and mortality rates and improve the welfare of farmed rabbits;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Encourages the use of pen systems for groups, which are the most suitable system for rabbits because of their highly social behaviour; points out that the use of pen systems improves the welfare of farm rabbits and reduces the incidence of abnormal behaviour amongst themlong-term research in the area of rabbit farming for the purpose of finding the best possible housing systems for different kinds of rabbit;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Points out that in some EU Member States, to cut costs and save space, a typical barrenbasic wire cage is used for an adult doe in the EU ismeasuring 60 to 65 cm long, 40 to 48 cm wide and 30 to 35 cm high; concludes that this means that rabbits cannot move normally or adopt normal postures such as stretching out, sitting and standing with their ears erect ( a ‘look out’ posture typical of the species), rearing up, turning around comfortably and hopping; underlines that this lack of exercise can also lead to weakened or broken bonepoints out that some of the older models of cage used may have an unsuitable design by modern standards;
Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Notes with concern that there is a high rate of disease and mortality amongst caged farm rabbits, compared with other farmed species;levels of disease, and therefore often mortality rates, are higher among rabbits than among other species of farmed animals as a result of the species' specific characteristics, higher parasite infection rates (coccidiosis, pinworms, etc.) than in other species and the greater need for preventative measures, which are not as highly developed as in other species of farmed animals.
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Expresses its concern that rabbits reared and fattened for meat production in the EU are typically caged in groups, and are provided with a space per rabbit that is less than the area ofare sometimes kept in old-fashioned cages which do not conform two ordinary A4 sheets of papermodern farming requirements;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Points out that, in those outdated cages, rabbits can suffer from a wide range of welfarehealth problems and diseases, including fatal viruses, snuffles and sore hocks from sitting on wire-mesh cage floors; is aware that investigations6[1] have shown that on some farms sick and injured rabbits are not treated and many fall victim to eye and fungal infections and respiratory conditions; notes with concern that, in the vast majorityabsence of minimal farming standards and the strict monitoring of those standards, some of these animals can then end up in the food chain, either as pet food or even as meat sold to consumers in supermarkets; _________________ 6 http://www.ciwf.org.uk/our- campaigns/investigations/rabbit- investigations/2014-the-biggest-secret-of- the-cage-age/
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. UnderlinesPoints out that growing rabbits and does kept in alternative pen systems, typically 750 cm²/rabbit for growers and 800 cm²/rabbit for does, benefit from more space for movement, social interaction and play, and that platforms in pen systems allow rabbits to avoid aggressors by getting out of the way, with separate housing for does when they are nursing a litter;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Stresses that the widespreadmore frequent use of antibiotics in rabbit farming, especially in the intensive type of farming that uses cage systems, cangroup enclosures, which are typical of organic farming systems where there are higher disease and mortality rates among rabbits as a result of lower standards of hygiene and higher levels of stress, could therefore lead to an increase in antimicrobial resistance;
Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Emphasises that abolishing thhigh standards of hygiene muse of battery cages across the EU would have a positive impact on the protection of public healtht be reached and maintained in all farming systems, in particular by means of the development of preventative measures and targeted checks; stresses that antibiotics must be used only for treatment purposes and wshould reduce the use of antibiotics in rabbit farmingbe followed by a sufficiently long withdrawal period to guarantee that the rabbit meat contains no residue;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. InvitesCalls on the Commission to cmonsider pen systems as the guiding principle when proposing measures for housing requirements for breeding does and for rabbits reared for meat productionitor and evaluate the state of industrial rabbit farming on a regular basis, cooperate with the individual Member States and organisations carrying out research in the area and base its work primarily on thorough, long-term research;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Points out that a balance must be kept between the various aspects to be taken into consideration, as regards welfare and health, economic and social considerations and environmental impact; points out also that account must be taken of consumer needs for affordable, high- quality rabbit meat;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Stresses that all future measures should be harmonised at EU level by introducing specific EU legislation for the minimum protection of farm rabbits, includingtaken at EU level should respect the principle of subsidiarity and contribute to the creation of a clear system of production labelling allowing consumers in the EU to make an informed choice about the rabbit meat they buy;