Each year in Europe, almost 370 million animals are raised behind bars. These conditions of extreme confinement and isolation not only deprive the animals of all happiness in life, but even of the most basic comforts: rabbits, quails, ducks, geese, chickens – all can hardly move – and gestating sows cannot even turn around.
A global issue
Across the world, billions of animals are farmed in cages. In Europe alone, hundreds of millions of animals spend their entire life, from birth to death, in a cage. Cages keep animals isolated, or tightly packed in confined areas. In the worst cases they are barren, provide minimal space and prevent even moderate exercise. Being kept in these conditions, even with excellent stockmanship, can have severe health and welfare implications for the animals involved.
The range of animals that are farmed in a form of cage in the EU is wider than many might think. Not only hens (in ‘enriched cages’), but pigs (in sow stalls and farrowing crates), ducks and quail and even rabbits are all farmed in cages.
You have the power to give the Voiceless a voice
These cages are not only cruel and useless, and cause tremendous suffering for animals, but they are also devastating for the planet and our health. To denounce this situation, GAIA has joined a network of more than 130 NGOs to end cage farming thanks to a European citizens' initiative. Objective: to gather, in one year, one million signatures from EU citizens in at least 7 Member States. If GAIA and the other NGOs succeed, the European Commission will be obliged to "carefully" examine the file and to adopt an "official response."
To find out more information on the use of cages across the EU, check out our report.
EU citizen? Take action for Europe's caged animals by signing our European Citizens' Initiative.
