Dear Minister,

There are inadequate requirements in prevention of cruelty to animal legislation and codes of conduct making it mandatory for Owners/Farmers/Carers of Farm Animals to provide species specific and adequate shelter from extremes of heat and cold in Australia, for all farmed animals.  As a consequence, billions of farmed animals die a cruel death in Australia each year from hypothermia and exposure to extremes of heat.

We believe neglectful and poor animal husbandry must be stopped.  Because of the lack of mandatory provisions in any Legislation or code of conduct, and what we believe to be a lack of willingness by agencies to adopt policy and prosecute, neglectful and cruel treatment of farmed animals is not being addressed. Prosecutions and fines are not taking place. Owners/Farmers/Carers of Farm Animals seem unable to provide what they should be providing without being forced to do so. For these reasons we believe the following changes must occur to Legislation/Codes of Conduct in order to protect farmed animals.

Where Codes of Conduct exist but are silent on shelter, we seek inclusion or changes to schedules. Where there are no Codes of Conduct about shelter, we ask there be Codes created. Codes of Conduct should  include clear guidelines to Owners/Farmers/Carers of Farm Animals for the  provision of natural shelter belt planting that provide adequate foliage and canopy protection and windbreaks for the benefit of farmed animals, which must take into consideration shelter from sun/hail and other weather events at all times of the day, including that provided by artificial shelters. Natural shelter belts must offer enough shade shelter for all animals to be protected at any one time and to lie down simultaneously with enough additional space to ensure easy airflow between all animals without overcrowding.

We believe failure to provide mandated shelter for animals should be prosecution with suitable penalties. Legislative reform will empower agencies to take action that is necessary and long overdue to prevent what is presently inhumane, neglectful and cruel treatment of farmed Animals in Australia.

ARTIFICIAL SHELTERS

1. Artificial shelters must offer species specific suitable protection from the sun at all times of the day with a capacity for animals to move about, lay down without overcrowding and performing usual movements and functions in shelter with adequate airflow. Clearly, larger animals must have larger shelters and will be dependent upon the numbers of animals;
2. Steel Iron and roofing must be white or painted a light colour to reflect the sun;
3. Any shade structure should be high enough to allow animals to stand freely, to lay down, to move about with species specific size requirements, and large enough to offer adequate air flow when the animals are at resting or laying down;
4. All shelter must offer protection with enough space for all animals to lie down simultaneously.
5. Any shade structure must offer sufficient protection to reduce scattered solar UVR.
6. There must be adequate shade for animals at the outside edge of shade structures to protect animals that will be exposed to greater scattered UVR.
7. There must be adequate airflow with a capacity to provide open sides in warm weather.
8. In cooler months artificial shelters must provide adequate protection from wind chill, hail and other weather events

SHADE CLOTH

Shade cloth must be of a standard that meets the UVE standard rating for animals which is:

1.Shade cloth must provide the highest UVE rating to prevent heat pain. A UVE standard rating of 95% is listed as most effective; and Shade cloth must be upgraded if it no longer offers a suitable UVE rating.

2. Shade cloth must be of a colour and material that best reflects the heat.

Thank you for your time and consideration

Yours faithfully