In exciting news for animals in the state of Ohio in America, an historic agreement between the government, business and animal protection groups will outlaw and phase out cruel practices for many farm animals, puppies and exotic pets.

Ohio has some of the weakest anti-cruelty laws in America and these changes will create meaningful protections for many animals for the first time. According to a report by the Humane Society of the United States, the changes include:

• A ban on veal crates which will be phased out over the next six years.
• A ban on gestation crates for new operators, to take effect from 2001. Existing facilities must phase out use of gestation crates within 15 years.
• No new battery cage facilities.owned cows and calves must not be transported for slaughter.
• Only established ‘humane’ methods of euthanasia for sick or injured animals are to be used, as outlined by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
• Felony-level penalties for cock fighters.
• Stronger legislation to regulate puppy mills.
• A ban on keeping dangerous exotic animals as pets, including primates, bears, lions, tigers, large constricting and venomous snakes, crocodiles and alligators.

In Australia, while some of the above practices such as the keeping of dangerous exotic animals as pets are already outlawed, widespread institutionalised animal cruelty remains legal. For example, hens are allowed to be kept in battery cages in every jurisdiction, allowing each bird the equivalent of one A4-sized piece of paper in space. Animals can legally be mutilated with anaesthetic – for example, they can be castrated or have their beaks ‘trimmed’.

The Tasmanian government has recently announced that it will phase out the use of sow stalls (gestation crates) from 2014. However the bulk of Australian jurisdictions remain vastly behind many US states when it comes to providing meaningful animal protections.

Voiceless commends the work of everyone involved in creating these significant improvements for animals in Ohio. For more information, please see the Humane Society US’s press release.  Voiceless calls on all governments in Australia to follow the lead of Ohio in creating greater protections for all animals. 

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