Since the revised
animal welfare law will come
into force in December 2000,
there are four main things
that we have to do immediately.
The government
has been inviting citizens
to express their opinion
via its webpage on a number
of issues. The text of the
new standards is also likely
to be published there, and
positive suggestions from
citizens involved in the
animal welfare movement is
essential.
Tokyo and Kanagawa
Prefecture are currently
working on new regulations
for the protection and control
of animals, and there are
some local authorities that
are thinking of emulating
the Hokkaido regulations.
Since tackling everyday animal
problems are the responsibility
of the local government,
we have to approach local
politicians and functionaries
with our requests. Local
lobbying will therefore be
an important part of our
future activities.
Even when the
new law comes into force
we cannot expect animal abuse
to disappear over night.
In the absence of any proper
definition, both the local
authorities and the police
will often be at a loss over
whether some act constitutes
cruelty or not. ALIVE will
extend its publicity campaign
for the treatment of animals
consistent with their natural
behaviour and physiology,
collect evidence of cases
of animal abuse, and try
to foster a sense of understanding
in police and the courts.
We regret that
the laboratory and production
animals, which are sacrified
in overwhelming numbers for
our human society, have been
left without any protection
at all in the current revision.
Animals are maimed, poisoned,
and subjected to stress in
experiments of all sorts
behind closed doors. Experiments
are therefore an area which
most requires scrutiny and
where animals most require
protection. Current thinking
that accepts any animal sacrifice
in the name of science, and
the lack of concern for these
animals, is one of the leading
factors that ruin the moral
foundations not only of medicine
but all of human society.
Only by introducing regulations
as they currently exist in
Europe and North America
can we pass as an international
society. Let us campaign
forcefully for a revision
in five years.
