The British Veterinary Association (BVA) warmly welcomed the widening of the scope of the forthcoming Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill to include cephalopod molluscs and decapod crustaceans in November 2021.
Under changes announced, cephalopods (including octopuses, squid and cuttlefish) and decapods (including crabs, lobsters and crayfish) will be recognised alongside vertebrates as being capable of feeling pleasure, pain and distress and therefore protected under the new laws on sentience.
The move follows the findings of a government-commissioned independent review by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), which concluded there is strong scientific evidence decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs are sentient.
BVA, which is the largest representative body for vets across the UK, has long campaigned for animal sentience to be embedded in law. In its recent sentience position, it called for crustaceans and molluscs to be included in its scope given the strength of the existing and ongoing evidence base that supports this.
Justine Shotton, original BVA President at the time, said: “We’re really heartened by today’s move, which will place a duty on the state to consider the sentience of decapods and cephalopods within all future policy making, as well as vertebrate animals.
“BVA and others have long championed crustacean and molluscs as having the capacity to experience feelings such as pleasure and pain, and the growing scientific evidence base really served to strengthen this argument. These changes are a resounding win for animal welfare which will provide new gold standard protections to millions of crustaceans as well as other species.”
AS MOST PET FOODS WILL CONTAIN SOME FORM OF CRUSTACEAN IN THE FORM OF CHONDROITIN, THIS IS YET ANOTHER REASON TO SUPPORT THE USE OF VEGAN DOG FOOD DIETS THAT ONLY USE PLANT-BASED MATERIALS AND NOTHING OF ANIMAL ORIGIN
BVA says it is possible to feed dogs plant-based
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has ended its opposition to (nutritionally-sound) vegan diets for dogs
Successful takeover of vegan dog food brand HOWND
Pets Choice has acquired ethical dog food company Hownd – a very “positive” deal for the future of vegan dog food
Cultivated Chicken Dog Food in Pets At Home!
Meatly to begin with cultivated dog food instead of cultivated cat food
Who is MARS Petcare?
How did they go from producing Snickers, Mars, Bounty bars, Pedigree, Royal Canin and Whiskas to be the fourth largest privately held company in the US?
Plant-based vs Insect-based dog food
Insect Protein-Based Diets as Potential Risk of Allergy in Dogs, and Much Higher Cost
The Great Protein Debate – Beef or Beans?
Dr Sue Paterson, RCVS President and Senior Vice President of the European Society of Veterinary Dermatologists interviews Dr Arielle Griffiths about Sustainable Pet Foods
University of Liverpool Vegan Dog Food Study
Prof Alex German holds the position of Royal Canin Professor of Small Animal Medicine at the University of Liverpool
Using microbial protein for the very first time in dog treats!
This first-of-its-kind protein is derived from bacteria that have been consumed by humans for centuries in foods such as kimchi, kefir, and sauerkraut
The longest, most comprehensive peer-reviewed study so far!
Domestic dogs maintain positive clinical, nutritional, and haematological health outcomes when fed a commercial plant-based diet for a year. Peer reviewed and published in PLOS ONE
Reasons Why Dog Owners Stop Feeding Raw Meat-Based Diets
The latest paper from April 2024 makes an astounding 85 papers against the use of raw feeding in our dogs
UK’s first meat cultivated cat food to launch!
The world’s first cans of cat food made with cultivated chicken to be sold in 2024 at Pets At Home!
Plant Ingredients in Dog Food
An enormously positive article about the use of plant-based proteins in pet food written by PhD Veterinary Scientist Jelena Suran in February 2024
Recommended sustainable pet foods
