Speaking the White Truth - building a better world for dairy and farm animals

New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI/NewsVoir): International animal welfare organisation, World Animal Protection has today submitted a detailed report to the government of Delhi, comprising the learnings and findings from its 'Better Dairy' campaign.
The report titled: The White Truth - Better Dairy Campaign Report, has been submitted to the Chief Minister of Delhi, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi and the Minister of Animal Husbandry, along with other corporate stakeholders.
World Animal Protection India started a campaign in 2012 to improve the lives of dairy animals by becoming the voice for these sentient beings.
Over the next eight years, the animal welfare organisation studied the root causes of animal suffering and worked tirelessly to raise consumer awareness on the cruelty faced by dairy animals.
India is home to over 299 million cattle*, 90 million of whom live in urban and peri-urban areas. Every day, an estimated 50 million dairy animals suffer the worst cruelty as they live in unacceptable conditions in these urban and peri-urban dairies.
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They are often confined to large dark rooms without windows or natural light, are permanently tethered with barely any room to move, they lie in their own faeces all day without access to clean water, good quality feed or any healthcare.
In its report, World Animal Protection is making key recommendations for corporates, government and other NGO's and advocacy organisations to take the work forward and continue to fight for the welfare of farm animals.
The recommendations to build back better and move towards a sustainable future for our dairy animals, producers as well as consumers are as follows:
* The 'National Dairy Code' for better management of cows and buffaloes should be recommended to the dairy industry in the country as well all the state governments. The National Code of Practices for Management of Dairy Animals in India covers all aspects of the industry - from advice on breeding and husbandry, through to guidance on how animals should be fed and housed. Basic hygiene, sanitation and guidance on record keeping are also included.
* Awareness about welfare of dairy animals and how it will lead to a sustainable dairy industry in our country is necessary.
* Since the urbanization is increasing at a rapid rate in Cities, there is minimal chance that dairy animals can perform their natural behaviour in the cities. Hence, we recommend having a plan where dairies can be moved outside the city limits for a sustainable future for our dairy animals, producers as well as consumers.
"The Better Dairy campaign by World Animal Protection has come a full circle. In the past eight years, we have worked with various stakeholders to improve the lives of dairy animals. All of our learnings and highlights of our work have been captured in this report released by World Animal Protection. But the work is far from over. Our food systems continue to evolve and we must ensure that animals within our food systems are provided all the welfare needs. It is time for the food systems to have a sustainable business model," said Gajender K Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection India.
Improved animal welfare leads to improved health: more robust healthier animals, less antibiotic use, and risks of resistance, less labour, especially for women, and improved milk quality and production, leading to better livelihoods.
World Animal Protection's vision is to transform the global food system to ensure farm animals live a better life.
This can only be done when farm animals have the means and opportunities to express natural behaviour, room to move and to socialise with others of their own kind, and to feel pleasure. It means freedom from the pain, fear and distress found in factory farms.
This transformation is possible. Some factions of the food industry across the world is responding to the demand for better welfare for farmed animals. We can all play our part by choosing plant-based and high welfare options, eating less meat and demanding a better life for farm animals.
It is time to rethinking how we treat all animals. We must all urgently work together to transform the global food system and end cruel factory farming. Let's do it for animals, for people and for our planet.
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