Historic Day for Animal Welfare: EU Plans To End Caged Farming

The European Union will work towards new laws to end caged animal farming across the bloc by 2027.

This phase-out commitment came after a petition that called for an end to the practice gathered over a million signatures. The petition requested to ultimately ban cages for farm animals such as rabbits, young hens, quails, ducks and geese.

The parliament said changes will be proposed by 2023 in efforts to reduce the "grave concerns" around the welfare of caged animals. Some were housed in unlivable conditions, with animals not even able to stand straight, stretch or turn around.

The EU has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world. However, according to a report by End the Cage Age, 94% of its farmed rabbits are currently caged as are 85% of its sows and 49% of its hens.

Head of EU at Compassion in World Farming, Olga Kikou, said in a statement that today was a historic day that will “leave a legacy for farmed animals.”

"Factory farming is the biggest cause of cruelty to sentient creatures on the planet. Ending the use of cages is a massive step towards ending factory farming," Kikou said.