Presenting the Spanish White Paper: Good Welfare for Equids

The White Paper: Good Welfare for Equids was jointly developed by member organisations of the Eurogroup for Animals’ Equine Working Group and translated into Spanish by our organization.

It is a key document that provides an in-depth analysis of the legal status and welfare of equines in Europe, highlighting the legislative gaps that affect horses, donkeys, and mules. Additionally, it underscores the need for a unified regulatory framework to ensure their protection and welfare. The report includes detailed analyses, concrete strategies, and essential recommendations aimed at legislators, equine sector professionals, and animal welfare organizations, all with the goal of improving the quality of life of these animals across the continent.

The reality of equines in Europe

The current EU legal framework fails to establish minimum welfare and care requirements for equines. Directive 98/58/EC sets out general rules for farm animals but explicitly excludes animals used in competitions, exhibitions, events, or cultural and sporting activities.

It is estimated that there are 7 million equines in Europe, playing a crucial role in various sectors, including leisure, sports, entertainment, production, service, and work.

Equines are sentient beings with intrinsic value, and while their economic worth to humans may vary, they should all be subject to the same welfare framework to ensure a good quality of life. This means enabling them to experience physical, mental, and emotional well-being, meeting their species-specific needs within practical parameters, while also striving for best-practice guidelines that allow all equines in Europe to live a ‘Good Life’.

Why is this White Paper important?

This document represents a fundamental step toward specific and uniform legislation for equine welfare in Europe. It includes welfare recommendations in areas such as nutrition, environment, health, and behaviour, while also identifying sector-specific risks and mitigation strategies.

The White Paper provides the rationale and evidence behind our call to action. Specifically, we propose:

1. An updated European animal welfare law that:
   • Addresses key issues related to the keeping and care of equines, regardless of their monetary value
   • Takes into account the specific needs of each species
   • Includes specific provisions for equines within its framework.
2. Recognition of the crucial role that all equines play across Europe, ensuring that:
   • All equines are equally important, as they hold intrinsic value regardless of their intended use or purpose at a given time
   • All equines, regardless of their original purpose, may be traded or placed on the EU market
   • An equal approach is applied to ensure a high level of welfare and to provide a Good Life for all equines in Europe.
3. A single, specific, and agreed-upon definition of “Equine” within the EU’s animal welfare legislation and associated policies.
4. A greater emphasis on positive welfare, requiring equine-related industries to meet minimum welfare standards, as outlined in this document. When necessary, support should be provided to help achieve best-practice welfare standards, ensuring that all equines can experience a ‘Good Life’.
5. Improved data collection through:
   • The development, dissemination, and analysis of an EU-wide equine sector survey to expand knowledge on the size and nature of the equine population in different industries
   • Publicly available results to enhance transparency and inform future policies.
6. The enforcement and implementation of EU legislation to meet equine welfare needs, including:
   • Welfare assessments by competent authorities
   • Mandatory welfare service provisions to ensure adequate care for equines.
7. A robust, practical, and enforceable system for equine identification and traceability across Europe.
   • The EU should adopt a fully digitized, unified equine identification and registration system, enabling full traceability of each equine throughout its lifetime and allowing for continuous population monitoring.
8. Investment in research, in collaboration with academic institutions and the equine industry, to fill existing knowledge gaps, particularly in the assessment of positive emotions in equines.
9. The development of a standardized educational framework to promote equine welfare and best practices among industry stakeholders, regulatory bodies, and equine caregivers across Europe.
10. The prohibition of the production, use, and importation of eCG/PMSG hormones derived from the blood extraction of pregnant mares in Europe.

A Call to Action

The White Paper is an urgent call to establish a coherent legislative framework that guarantees the welfare of all equines in Europe, regardless of their purpose or use. The effective implementation of these measures will ensure that these animals receive the care and protection they deserve.