Positions - Farmed Animals

SPCA supports farming practices that allow animals access to the outdoors, provided they are able to maintain comfort through unrestricted access to shade and shelter that protects them from the elements such as extreme temperatures, solar radiation, and inclement weather including rain, wind, hail, and snow.

SPCA opposes the intensification and indoor rearing or tethering of sheep for meat or dairy production. SPCA supports farming systems which allow sheep access to the outdoors provided they are able to maintain comfort through unrestricted access to shade and shelter that protects them from the elements, such as extreme temperatures, solar radiation, and inclement weather including wet muddy conditions, rain, wind, hail, and snow.

SPCA advocates that all animals slaughtered for food should be killed in the most humane way possible.

​SPCA advocates for continuous improvement in the slaughter industry that will protect the welfare of all animals slaughtered for food.

​SPCA advocates for improved farming practices and improved genetics to reduce the practice of tail docking.

SPCA advocates that where animals are to be transported for slaughter, they must be sent to the slaughterhouse nearest to the farm to ensure minimal transport times.

SPCA supports housing systems that provide turkeys with choices to allow them to meet their physical, health and behavioural needs.

SPCA advocates for husbandry practices that minimise the welfare harms to both mother and offspring during the birth of offspring.

SPCA opposes the farming of wild and non-domesticated species (such as ostriches, emu, crocodiles, alligators, and most species of marine fish) because it is impossible to replicate the environment which would be needed to fully ensure the animals’ welfare. SPCA advocates that, due to their temperament, non-domesticated species must not be transported or handled within standard slaughterhouse systems.

SPCA opposes the live export of animals by sea and advocates that long-duration transportation by sea should be legally restricted to meat or carcasses, or genetic material, such as semen.