UK veterinarians warn about animal health with 'no-deal' Brexit

Animal health and welfare would be negatively impacted if the United Kingdom (UK) leaves the European Union (EU) without agreement over the terms and conditions of departure, warns the body representing British veterinarians.

omersukrugoksu | iStock.com
omersukrugoksu | iStock.com

Animal health and welfare would be negatively impacted if the United Kingdom (U.K.) leaves the European Union (EU) without agreement over the terms and conditions of departure, warns the body representing British veterinarians.

While stating it does not take a position on whether the U.K. should remain or leave the EU on October 31, a study by the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has highlighted the potential adverse impacts of a “no-deal” Brexit on the health and welfare of animals. These impacts could be so severe that the BVA is calling on the government to take the “no-deal” option off the negotiating table with the EU.

“Our analysis of a no-deal Brexit found that there could be very serious consequences for animal health and welfare, trade, and our veterinary workforce,” commented the association’s president, Daniella Dos Santos.

Among the key concerns Dos Santos highlighted are delayed delivery of veterinary products, and the impacts of new rules on the health and welfare of farm animals as well as pets.

Explaining the health and welfare issues, she said that the sudden loss of export markets could lead either to overstocking and welfare problems, or to a cull of healthy animals. The BVA is also concerned that trade deals with new partners could compromise the current high health and welfare standards in the U.K.

“The government has still not enshrined animal sentience into U.K. law,” said Dos Santos.

Issues over documentation could lead to delays at borders, with knock-on effects for the delivery of veterinary medicines, warns the BVA.

Dos Santos said that there is currently a lack of manpower in the profession to carry out additional duties, such as veterinary export certification, and the situation is exacerbated by a lack of clarity over the future status of veterinarians from EU member states currently working in the U.K.

Pet-owners still don’t know if they will be able to travel with their animals, she added.

Brexit background

In the 2016 referendum on the United Kingdom’s future in the European Union (EU), a relatively small majority of the U.K. population voted in favor of a split from the group, which had 28 member states at the time.

The initial timetable for so-called “Brexit” (the British exit from the EU) set out a departure date of March 31 this year, which was subsequently extended to October 31. An agreement was eventually reached between U.K. and EU negotiators over the exit details, but then Prime Minister Theresa May was unable to get the necessary support for this deal from Parliament. Among the most contentious issues are the practical arrangements for the future land border between Northern Ireland (part of the U.K.) and the Republic of Ireland (which as an independent state retains EU membership).

New Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has announced his determination to maintain October 31 deadline for the UK to leave the EU, even if there is no agreement over the “divorce arrangements” between the parties — the “no-Deal” Brexit. This would have highly significant consequences on matters including customs arrangements, trading conditions, and legal/regulatory issues that concern the BVA.

The BVA is far from being alone with its concerns. The chief executive of the U.K.’s poultry industry body, the British Poultry Council, stated earlier this year that a “no-deal” Brexit would be “incredibly damaging” for the country’s poultry meat sector.

Page 1 of 1576
Next Page