Animal welfare in Lithuania faces industry pressures; experts call for stricter laws and consumer choice.
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In Lithuania, the Ministry of Agriculture and the State Food and Veterinary Service (VMVT) assure the public that the acquisition, keeping, transport, slaughter, and killing of farm animals are regulated by both EU and national laws, with significant attention paid to animal welfare. However, the head of the organization “Tušti narvai,” G. VaitkeviÄŤiĹ«tÄ—, points out that the biggest welfare issues are in industrial farms where animals are kept in overcrowded conditions, leading to neglect. She criticizes the industry for valuing animals only by profit, citing examples like the continued use of cages for laying hens and the castration of pigs without anesthesia due to cost-saving measures. VaitkeviÄŤiĹ«tÄ— argues that current laws contain exemptions demanded by farmers, and that industry sectors hold most of the power, often overriding animal welfare concerns.
VMVT specialists confirm that while regulations exist, current practices include issues like chemical procedures for young animals, and they suggest improvements such as increasing space for pigs or providing enrichment. They also highlight problems like routine tail docking, chaining of calves, overcrowding, and long-distance transport, especially in summer. VMVT assures that welfare laws are constantly reviewed and tightened. The Ministry of Agriculture states it is implementing an intervention measure to encourage higher welfare standards for livestock, offering state support to farmers who improve conditions.
Seimas member Ieva PakarklytÄ— notes that progress on animal welfare legislation is slow due to differing worldviews, with some viewing animals as mere commodities. Internationally, organizations report that millions of animals in EU farms are kept in cages, and issues like poor housing and transport are prevalent, as seen in Czech farms. While some EU countries have banned cage systems for laying hens, other species still face inadequate conditions.
Vaitkevičiūtė suggests that countries like Austria, Germany, and the Netherlands are good examples of stricter welfare standards, noting that the Dutch system uses a three-star rating on products to inform consumers about welfare levels, a system currently lacking in Lithuania for most products. She concludes that the immediate step for improvement is to reject the most cruel practices, such as keeping hens in cages.
