Agenda item

Animal Welfare

It was moved by Councillor Helen Mirfin-Boukouris, seconded by Councillor Richard Crowther, that this Council:-

 (a)      recognises the tremendous record of the previous Government on animal welfare issues, including banning hunting with dogs;

(b)       is proud that due to Labour’s stance on this barbaric ‘sport’, 2015 sees the 10th anniversary of the ban, which has the highest number of convictions, above all other wild mammal legislation;

(c)        notes that while in Government, the Labour Party did much to end cruel and unnecessary suffering of animals by banning fur farming, securing an end to cosmetic testing and introducing the Animal Welfare Act;

(d)       finds The Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP’s promise that a future Conservative government would allow  a  ‘free vote’ on repealing the ban on fox hunting as yet another example of how out of touch this Government is, with the majority of British people being in favour of the ban;

(e)       also notes that Nigel Farage, Leader of UKIP, has taken part in hunts and UKIP have said that they would repeal the 2004 Hunting Act;

(f)        wholeheartedly agrees with The Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, that “we have a moral duty to treat animals we share this planet with in a humane and compassionate way”;

(g)       welcomes the Labour Party’s manifesto pledge to ban wild animals in circuses, reduce animal cruelty on shooting estates, review rules on breeding and selling of dogs and cats, end the badger cull and defend the Hunting Act, and to lead the fight against global animal cruelty; and

(h)       requests that a copy of this Motion be forwarded to all Sheffield MPs and ask that they offer their support to animal welfare and commit to vote against any proposal to repeal the 2004 Hunting Act.

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Katie Condliffe,, seconded by Councillor Richard Shaw, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of a new paragraph (h) as follows, and the relettering of original paragraph (h) as a new paragraph (i):-

(h)       notes the Liberal Democrats support all attempts to prevent unnecessary cruelty to animals; and

On being put to the vote, the amendment was negatived. 

The original Motion was then put to the vote and carried, as follows:-

RESOLVED:  That this Council:-

 (a)      recognises the tremendous record of the previous Government on animal welfare issues, including banning hunting with dogs;

(b)       is proud that due to Labour’s stance on this barbaric ‘sport’, 2015 sees the 10th anniversary of the ban, which has the highest number of convictions, above all other wild mammal legislation;

(c)        notes that while in Government, the Labour Party did much to end cruel and unnecessary suffering of animals by banning fur farming, securing an end to cosmetic testing and introducing the Animal Welfare Act;

(d)       finds The Rt. Hon. David Cameron MP’s promise that a future Conservative government would allow  a  ‘free vote’ on repealing the ban on fox hunting as yet another example of how out of touch this Government is, with the majority of British people being in favour of the ban;

(e)       also notes that Nigel Farage, Leader of UKIP, has taken part in hunts and UKIP have said that they would repeal the 2004 Hunting Act;

(f)        wholeheartedly agrees with The Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party, that “we have a moral duty to treat animals we share this planet with in a humane and compassionate way”;

(g)       welcomes the Labour Party’s manifesto pledge to ban wild animals in circuses, reduce animal cruelty on shooting estates, review rules on breeding and selling of dogs and cats, end the badger cull and defend the Hunting Act, and to lead the fight against global animal cruelty; and

(h)       requests that a copy of this Motion be forwarded to all Sheffield MPs and ask that they offer their support to animal welfare and commit to vote against any proposal to repeal the 2004 Hunting Act.

(Note: Councillors Jillian Creasy, Robert Murphy, Sarah Jane Smalley and Brian Webster voted for paragraphs (b) to (h) and abstained on paragraph (a) of the Motion and asked for this to be recorded.)