Council Directive 98/58/EC concerning the protection of animals kept for farming purposes.

This Directive lays down minimum standards for the protection of animals bred or kept for farming purposes. This Directive shall not apply to (I) animals living in the wild; (II) animals intended for use in competitions, shows, cultural or sporting events or activities; (III) experimental or laboratory animals; and (IV) any invertebrate animal. This Directive consists of 12 articles and the Annex.
The Member States shall make provision to ensure that the owners or keepers take all reasonable steps to ensure the welfare of animals under their care and to ensure that those animals are not caused any unnecessary pain, suffering or injury. The Member States shall also ensure that the conditions under which animals (other than fish, reptiles or amphibians) are bred or kept, having regard to their species and to their degree of development, adaptation and domestication, and to their physiological and ethological needs. All animals kept in husbandry systems shall be inspected relating to animal welfare and the owner or keeper of the animals shall maintain a record of any medicinal treatment given and of the number of mortalities found to each inspection.