Animal welfare: Greens work with local pet shops on animal charter
20 March 2006
Greens in Brighton and Hove are spearheading a campaign to reduce the number of unwanted animals in shelters and stop the trade in animals caught in the wild.
The campaign, led by Alison Plaumer, Brighton and Hove Green Party’s Animal Rights Group Convenor, has been given the support of four leading pet shops in the city.
“These responsible pet shop operations have agreed to our simple six point Declaration,” said Ms Plaumer, whose group has approached all ten pet shops licensed by Brighton and Hove City Council.
“The majority of those that have responded support the principles of our Declaration.”
The Declaration, which pet shop owners have agreed to support calls on them to:
· Always ensure the highest of welfare standards
· Stop the cruel trade in wild caught animals
· Ensure all breeders and suppliers are reputable and have excellent animal welfare standards
· Follow excellent Health and Safety Practices
· Actively promote responsible pet ownership
· Actively provide customers with information about good husbandry techniques
To date the pet shops that have agreed to support and implement the declaration are:
· Repco, Preston Drove
· Pet Pet Pet, West Way
· Paws and Claws, Station Road Portslade
· Pets Corner, Wyevale Garden Centre
“We're delighted these pet shop owners have agreed with this responsibility and have signed up to our simple six point declaration,” commented Ms. Plaumer. “We're also pressing for pet shops to be obliged legally to actively promote animal welfare, and for them to be subject to spot checks by the council, which licences their operations, to ensure this happens. To have such a measure in place would be a tremendous boost for animal welfare.”
Jenny Wells, manager of the RSPCA’s centre at Patcham said: “Every year the RSPCA finds new homes for around 70,000 animals. These animals arrive at the RSPCA out of various circumstances - they may be unwanted pets that have been callously dumped or victims of cruelty by their owners. Animal welfare is everyone’s responsibility and this initiative is to be greatly welcomed.”
Notes to editors:
For more information please contact Geoffrey Bowden Brighton and Hove Green Party Press officer on 07958 682 683.[ENDS]
