In 1981 the Swiss Animal Protection Act came into force. It has become famous for its section on the housing of chickens. By prescribing sheltered, darkened nest boxes, perches or slatted grids for all hens and with a minimum area of 800cm2 per bird on mesh floors, it effectively prohibited the battery cage - this made Switzerland the first country to impose such a ban. For practical economic reasons the legislation granted farmers a ten-year transition period, expiring at the beginning of 1992.

The literature available to schools on animal experimentation in the biomedical sciences has increased both in quantity and quality over the last few years. Organizations which support animal experimentation and the animal welfare/anti-vivisectionist societies have put much effort into preparing clear and attractive, well-argued booklets on the cases for and against the use of animals for scientific purposes.

Over the years there has been much UK, European and International legislation which has, directly or indirectly, had an influence on the protection of wild birds. Some of this legislation is aimed at conserving rare species or controlling the shooting of the so-called game birds. Some indirectly help bird conservation by protecting certain habitats or by controlling, in a more general sense, rural development and land usage.

Dogs make wonderful companions but unfortunately strays are a problem in most urban and many rural environments. Stray dogs may bite; they cause problems of health and hygiene and are an obvious traffic hazard. Moreover, the strays suffer from injury, disease and sometimes inhumane methods of control. The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has produced a written guide and video cassette to assist government, municipalities and animal control professionals to achieve effective stray dog control programmes. Their main recommendations are that authorities should implement registration, identification, neutering and education schemes. The video touches on the problem of rabies in countries where it is endemic. WSPA argues for a vaccination programme, as general euthanasia of strays disrupts the stray dog population, increases dog movements and thus increases the risk of spreading the disease. The guide and video compliment each other with the video acting as a useful introduction and outline of WSPA's initiative. The written guide, however, is more informative and practical and includes a series of annexes on, for example: dog control, dog identification systems, housing systems and suggested legislative provisions. WSPA has also put together a conference and practical training programme to help launch their initiative with interested governments.

December 1994 and January 1995 saw a significant increase in demonstrations against the live export of sheep and calves at several ports and airfields all over the UK. These demonstrations followed the decision by some of the larger ferry companies to ‘ban’ the carrying of sheep and calves; a decision which has since been deemed illegal and reversed by the High Court. Nevertheless, the welfare of these animals is now firmly in the public eye and there is great pressure on the livestock industry to reduce the number of animals exported live to mainland Europe for ‘immediate’ slaughter or further fattening and slaughter.

In 1987 Foundation Research 3R was established in Switzerland to promote research on alternative methods in animal experimentation, ie reduction, refinement and replacement. The Foundation, which is funded in equal parts by contribution from Interpharma Switzerland and the Swiss Federal Veterinary Office, has, over the years, initiated some 42 research projects - of which 35 have been completed to date. In 1994 it started publishing a quarterly newsletter 3R-Info-Bulletin. The first issue (June 1994) covered the history and organization of the Foundation; the second (September 1994) describes a validation study for in vitro production of monoclonal antibodies; and the third (December 1994) covers the scientific activities on behalf of Foundation Research 3R by the late Professor G Zbinden of Zurich.

Bovine Somatotropin (BST) is a synthetic growth hormone that can increase milk yield in dairy cows by between 10 and 20 per cent. BST was approved for commercial use in the United States last year, where reaction from consumers, farmers and retailers to the use of the drug has been cool. For several years pharmaceutical companies have been testing and seeking official authorization to market BST in the European Union (EU). However, its introduction has been resisted by many farmers and most consumers because of concern for the health and welfare of the cows, the health of consumers and the possible effects on the economic viability of the small dairy farm. The use of BST does increase the milk yield but it also seems to be associated with a higher level of mastitis. It has also been suggested that the use of the hormone may also result in an increased incidence of anaemia, digestive disorders, enlarged hocks and lesions of the knees.

This booklet gives the reader a brief insight into the lives of hedgehogs and their current status in Britain.

Independence, the education publishers based in Cambridge (UK), have produced a number of booklets which offer up-to-date information on important issues in society. These booklets are aimed at GCSE and A level students (14 to 18-year-olds) and each is essentially a collection of previously published information ie leaflets, press-releases and pieces from newspapers and magazines. They have been selectively gathered together with the intent of providing the reader with a balanced view of the subject.

In 1992 the Farm Animal Welfare Council (FAWC) was asked by the Agriculture Departments of Great Britain to consider the welfare of turkeys being reared for the table and to make recommendations to Ministers. Accordingly a FAWC Working Group was set up; taking evidence from numerous interested parties, considering the technical literature and visiting a number of turkey production sites.

The New Zealand Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC) has issued a further set* of Codes of Recommendation for the welfare of: animals at the time of slaughter, farmed pigs, exhibition animals and animals transported within New Zealand.

The New Zealand Animal Welfare advisory committee regularly produces codes of recommendations and minimum standards for the welfare of animals.

It is widely held that one way to quickly improve the welfare of at least some farm animals is to label food on display in the shops with animal welfare criteria. This usually means identifying to the customer, products which have been produced in welfare friendly husbandry systems. The discerning and welfare oriented consumer can then purchase - often at an increased cost - the welfare friendly food and in effect discriminate against the non-welfare friendly products. Some critics have cynically suggested that this just allows the affluent middle classes to indulge in their fantasies of how animal agriculture ought to be. Practical experience with the somewhat flawed, free-range egg labelling system in the UK has suggested that the share of the market is only some 15-20 per cent, and even this low figure tends to fall when hard economic times hit the consumer.

This volume has been published from a workshop held by the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS), which brought together researchers and potential researchers from differing technical backgrounds. It should be remembered that not all research is carried out in Universities or Research Institutes where experience and support exists for the aspiring worker. In some cases - and this is especially true in companion animal studies - prospective investigators, coming from non-scientific or pemaps clinical or professional backgrounds, discover an issue that clearly needs to be researched and wish to pursue this research themselves.

Today ‘s Poultry Industry: The Inside Story is a short booklet published by the Farm Animal Welfare Network (previously Chicken's Lib) and the National Society Against Factory Farming. The booklet contains chapters on: battery hens, broiler chickens, turkeys, ducks and ostriches. As well as discussing the traditional areas of egg or meat production and slaughter methods, it also includes the welfare of breeding stock - a group of animals not so often considered. Unfortunately one area omitted is that of religious slaughter.

Criticisms of the use of animals in biomedical research come from many different groups in society. Particular attention has to be paid to these criticisms if they are put forward by physicians, research scientists and health workers. These are the very people who should have well-informed views about the value of animal experimentation. They should be the ones able to answer the question: does the knowledge so gained really help in reducing human and/or animal suffering?

This volume has been published from a workshop held by the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS), which brought together researchers and potential researchers from differing technical backgrounds. It should be remembered that not all research is carried out in Universities or Research Institutes where experience and support exists for the aspiring worker. In some cases - and this is especially true in companion animal studies - prospective investigators, coming from non-scientific or perhaps clinical or professional backgrounds, discover an issue that clearly needs to be researched and wish to pursue this research themselves.

Many farm animals are routinely tail-docked and/or castrated or debeaked. The numbers of these mutilation operations - especially the castrations - have dropped over the last decade or so. However, it still seems - or it is still believed - that some of the current systems of intensive husbandry, ie the fattening of pigs and the group-rearing of broiler poultry for the table, can only be carried out if the animals are tail-docked or debeaked.