Legislation and codes of practice

• What is legislation?

  the legal standards of care that you have to provide animals with
• What are the five freedoms?

  1. freedom from hunger and thirst
  2. freedom from discomfort
  3. freedom from pain, injury and disease
  4. freedom to express natural behaviours
  5. freedom from fear and distress
• Codes of practice provide guidance on how to comply with legislation
• failure to follow codes of practice is NOT illegal
• Every organisation that works with animals needs to have policies and procedures to help employees follow the legislation and codes of practice for the animals in their care
• What does sentient mean?

  having feelings and the capability to suffer
• An animals physiological and behavioural responses are indicators of pain. Anticipation of pain causes anxiety and fear, and animals seek to avoid pain
• An animals nervous system is often considere part of their ability to feel pain : the complex the nervous system, the more likely it is that the animal can perceive pain
• There is scientific evidence to suggest that vertebrate animals are sentient beings