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Proposal to Revise Existing Animal Welfare Legislation

Dear Sir or Madam

I am writing to invite comments on the enclosed consultation document "Proposals to Revise Existing Animal Welfare Legislation".

Last year, the Scottish Executive issued a consultation paper on proposals to amend the Protection of Animals (Scotland) Act 1912. The responses from a number of organisations have shown a clear desire for a much wider reform of our existing animal welfare legislation. This consultation seeks views on how the existing legislation can be improved to prevent cruelty to any animal and to promote the welfare of all animals, including domestic pets.

Separately last year, the Executive issued a consultation paper "Animal Disease Control: Proposals for Legislation in Scotland". Scottish Ministers are considering the responses to that consultation, and subject to further public consultation may decide to promote combined animal health and welfare legislative changes.

In order to give interested parties sufficient time to consider the consultation on "Proposals to Revise Existing Animal Welfare Legislation", there is a thirteen-week period for responses. If you wish to make comments on the issues covered by the document, please send them to the following address by 2nd July 2004:
Heather Holmes, Animal Health & Welfare Division,
Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department,
Room 350, Pentland House,
47 Robb’s Loan,
EDINBURGH
EH14 1TY

If you have any queries contact Heather Holmes on 0131 244 6179.

You can, if you prefer, submit your response by e-mail to:- animal.health@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

It is possible to access this consultation online. If you wish to do so, go to http://www.scotland.gov.uk/view/views.asp You can telephone Freephone 0800 77 1234 to find out where your nearest public internet access point is.

If you would like a copy of this consultation document in an alternative format, such as large print, Braille, audiotape or disc, or in a community language, please get in touch with Heather using the contact details above. We expect that most respondents will find it easier to send in a written response, but if you would find it easier to respond in some other way (such as by telephone, by audiotape or at a meeting) please get in touch with Heather.

A new e-mail alert system for SE consultations (SEconsult) was launched in December 2003. This system will allow stakeholder individuals and organisations to register and receive a weekly e-mail containing details of all new SE consultations (including web links). SEconsult will complement, but in no way replace SE distribution lists, and is designed to allow stakeholders to "keep an eye" on all SE consultation activity and, therefore, be alerted at the earliest opportunity to those of most interest. We encourage you to register as soon as possible.

We will make all responses available to the public in the Scottish Executive Library by 30th July 2004, unless confidentially is requested. All responses not marked confidential will be checked for any potentially defamatory material before being logged in the library or placed on the website.

Yours faithfully

Ian W Strachan
Animal Health and Welfare Division

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