2023-05-04 14:20:00
The animal defense association Gaia declared itself “outraged” by the words of the Walloon Minister in charge of Animal Welfare; Céline Tellier (Ecolo), who, according to the ASBL, “refuses his responsibility as minister (…) and his competence“, after the broadcast of images of surgical castration of piglets filmed by investigators from Gaia in a pig farm in Flanders.
“We are particularly shocked and indignant to note that Ms. Tellier refuses to recognize her competence in such a problem of serious animal suffering, which is nevertheless avoidable. The suffering endured by piglets in Wallonia who undergo surgical and painful castration is identical to that inflicted on Flemish piglets“, affirmed the director of Gaia, Ann De Greef.
“One wonders what is the use of a Minister of Animal Welfare who refuses his own competence“, she added in a press release addressed to the Belga agency.
A petition launched against the castration without anesthesia of piglets
Gaia launched a petition on Thursday – also broadcasting bloody images – to obtain an end to the castration without anesthesia imposed on millions of piglets each year.
Ms Tellier acknowledged that castration of piglets without anesthesia was “a questionable practice“. “But 95% of pigs are raised in Flanders and only 5% in Wallonia. And veterinary acts and animal health are a federal jurisdiction“, indicated his spokesperson to the Belga agency. She underlined that Ms. Tellier “will carefully monitor any changes in legislation” on this subject.
The association received the support of the Flemish Minister for Animal Welfare, Ben Weyts (N-VA), who declared himself in favor of banning the castration of piglets without anesthesia. He indicated, through his cabinet, that he had already put the issue on the European agenda. According to Gaia, castration of piglets is “an undeniably painful intervention and mutilation that causes serious suffering to the piglets” more “is legally permitted and avoidable“.
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