The European Citizens’ Initiative ‘End the Cage Age’ unites an international network of over 170 organisations that are asking at loud voice, supported by animal lovers across Europe, to eliminate the use of cages in animal farming.

300 million animals in the farming industry like pigs, hens, calves, rabbits, quail, ducks and geese are still suffering in cages across Europe.

A new undercover investigation released by our friends of CIWF and carried out in 16 farms of Italy, Spain, France and Poland – including those supplying Parma and Bayonne ‘premium’ hams – has revealed the immense suffering of sows forced to stay cruelly confined in farrowing crates.

CIWF’s investigation reveals that sows:

  • spend many weeks in cages so tiny that they can just stand up or lay down without being able to move in any other way
  • constantly lay in their own excrement and urine
  • are unable to properly nurture their young because of the small space
  • show repetitive behaviours like bar biting and chewing the air due to high level of stress and frustration

Last year, in response to the ECI ‘End the Cage Age’ that collected 1.4 million verified signatures from citizens across the EU and was the first successful initiative for farmed animals, the European Commission publicly declared its intention to revise the current EU legislation committing to:

  • Put forward a legislative proposal by the end of 2023 to phase out and finally prohibit the use of cages for hens, mother pigs, calves, rabbits, ducks, geese and other farmed animals
  • Phase out the use of cages for farmed animals across Europe by 2027
  • Ensure that all imported products in the EU comply with future cage-free standards
  • Implement systems for incentives and financial support to European farmers during the transition to cage-free farming

Distressing conditions of animals revealed in these investigations clearly show that there is no more time to waste!

The European Commission urges to propose the end on caged farming without further delay.

A summary of investigation findings has been sent by CIWF to EU Agriculture ministers across Europe.

You can also take action! Please email EU Ministers and ask them to push for the EU ban 👉 here

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