This Government Decree lays down further provisions on the implementation of the Animal Welfare Act. It contains 50 Sections divided into the following 13 Chapters: 1. Animal premises; 2. Outdoor raising of production animals; 3. Care of animals; 4. Treatment and handling of animal; 5. Tying up animals and keeping of certain animals; 6. Procedures performed on animals and animal breeding; 7. Production farms of meat, eggs and breeding animals; 8. Professional or other large-scale keeping of pet or hobby animals; 9. Activities subject to notification; 10. Killing of animals; 11. Slaughter and related procedures; 12. Slaughtering method applied for religious reasons; 13. Miscellaneous provisions.
Section 8 stipulates the obligation to take care of the health, general welfare, cleanliness, and provide other necessary care to animals. Section 12 prohibits the violent treatment of animals, including kicking or hitting the animal and injuring it for training or other similar purposes. Undue suffering of animals is also prohibited. Section 14 specifies the meaning of inflicting undue distress, pain and suffering under the Animal Welfare Act. It includes practices such as using live animals as a target in a shooting practice or competition; scaling or gutting a live fish or plucking or skinning an animal alive; transporting an animal by hanging by some part of the body; killing a reindeer or other domestic animal or an animal farmed for production purposes by shooting as in hunting; etc. Section 23 lists the procedures that can be performed on animals, notwithstanding section 7(1 and 2) of the Welfare Act.
The Decree lays down specific rules for tying up and keeping pigs, bovines, goats and sheep, laying hens, and dogs. It also contains detailed provisions on the training and use of animals; feeding of animals; wild mammals and bird species that may be farmed for the production of meat or eggs; slaughtering conditions of animals; care of animals to be slaughtered; qualifications of the slaughterer and person performing procedures preceding slaughter; etc.
The competent ministry may issue further provisions complementing the present Decree.
Section 8 stipulates the obligation to take care of the health, general welfare, cleanliness, and provide other necessary care to animals. Section 12 prohibits the violent treatment of animals, including kicking or hitting the animal and injuring it for training or other similar purposes. Undue suffering of animals is also prohibited. Section 14 specifies the meaning of inflicting undue distress, pain and suffering under the Animal Welfare Act. It includes practices such as using live animals as a target in a shooting practice or competition; scaling or gutting a live fish or plucking or skinning an animal alive; transporting an animal by hanging by some part of the body; killing a reindeer or other domestic animal or an animal farmed for production purposes by shooting as in hunting; etc. Section 23 lists the procedures that can be performed on animals, notwithstanding section 7(1 and 2) of the Welfare Act.
The Decree lays down specific rules for tying up and keeping pigs, bovines, goats and sheep, laying hens, and dogs. It also contains detailed provisions on the training and use of animals; feeding of animals; wild mammals and bird species that may be farmed for the production of meat or eggs; slaughtering conditions of animals; care of animals to be slaughtered; qualifications of the slaughterer and person performing procedures preceding slaughter; etc.
The competent ministry may issue further provisions complementing the present Decree.
Consolidated version of Government Decree No. 396 of 07 June 1996, as last amended by Government Decree No. 674 of 8 July 2010. The unofficial English translation is a consolidated version as of 24 May 2006.
Title:
Government Decree on Animal Welfare (No. 396 of 1996).
Country:
Finland
Type of document:
Regulation
Files:
Repealed:
Yes
Implements
Repealed by