Welfare of Farmed Animals (Wales) Regulations 2001 (W.S.I. No. 2682 (w. 223) of 2001).

The Regulations and the Community legislation which they implement reflect the obligations contained in the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes of 10th March 1976 as read with the Protocol of Amendment to the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes of 6th February 1992. The Regulations apply to all animals kept for farming purposes (reg. 2(2)). Regulation 3(1) lays down the general principle that owners and keepers of animals kept for farming purposes must take reasonable steps to ensure the welfare of animals in their care and to prevent them any unnecessary pain, suffering or injury. This principle applies to all animals including fish, reptiles and amphibians. The Regulations also provide for general requirements as to the conditions in which all farmed animals (other than fish, reptiles and amphibians) are bred or kept (reg. 3(2) and Schedule 1) and for specific additional requirements as to the conditions in which laying hens kept in battery cages (reg. 4 and Schedule 2), other poultry (reg. 5 and Schedule 3), calves (reg. 6 and Schedule 4), cattle (reg. 7 and Schedule 5), pigs (reg. 8 and Schedule 6) and rabbits (reg. 9 and Schedule 7) are bred or kept. Regulation 11 provides for the service of enforcement notices requiring action to be taken to deal with any breach of the Regulations and regulation 12 provides for a power of entry for persons authorized by the European Commission for the purpose of enforcing Community legislation. Schedule 1, which provides for general requirements as to the conditions in which all farmed animals (other than fish, reptiles and amphibians) are bred or kept, contains a number of changes from corresponding provisions in Schedule 4 of the Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994.