DYRENES BESKYTTELSE: The time is ripe to reintroduce a ban on cages for hens in Denmark
Laying hens kept in cages each have an area about the size of an A4 sheet plus a postcard to move around in, and no access to daylight. Rudimentary enrichment such as perches, a nest and a small area with bedding is far from enough to satisfy hens’ behavioural needs.
According to a study carried out by the polling agency Epinion for Dyrenes Beskyttelse, 6 out of 10 Danes agree that eggs from caged hens should be banned. Such a ban would bring Denmark in line with other European countries such as Germany, Austria, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, all of which have introduced a similar ban.
“The Danes have spoken, and I think it’s time for politicians to listen to their voters,” says Britta Riis, Director of Dyrenes Beskyttelse. “It’s election year, and I hope our candidates will seize the opportunity to put this topic on the political agenda so that the pre-1980 ban can be reintroduced.”
Only a small number of manufacturers would be affected by such a ban. Although Danish egg production has been increasing for several years, the production of battery-caged eggs hasn’t followed the growing trend: only 1 out of 5 eggs comes from caged hens, which are bred by just 15 farmers with fewer than 60 employees.
Der er 15 buræg-producenter tilbage i Danmark, men de producerer over 20% af alle æg.
Tiden er inde til at få genindført forbuddet mod burhøns!
En udfasning vil betyde overgang til mere dyrevenlige måder at producere æg på herhjemme #dkfood #dkpol
Læs https://t.co/LRI5KNaaoT pic.twitter.com/vtE6m80HKp
— Dyrenes Beskyttelse (@DyrBeskyt) April 12, 2019
“I think it is in everyone’s interest to set a fair end date for the production of caged eggs in Denmark, so that these few farmers have time to convert to more animal-friendly production,” says Britta Riis. “A voluntary reconversion is good and the power of consumers is strong, but legislation is also an effective tool. If the cruel and old-fashioned production of battery-caged eggs is banned once and for all, the process towards a Denmark free of cages will go faster.”
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The Danes have spoken, and I think it’s time for politicians to listen to their voters.Britta Riis, Director of Dyrenes Beskyttelse