End The Cage Age action closed

Thank you for your interest in taking action for farm animals. Your compassion means so much to farm animals. Whilst the action you were looking for has now closed there is plenty more you can still do.

Read on to see the impact that caring people like you have made for animals and other actions you can take.

The journey so far

2015

In the winter of 2015 and into 2016, our ground-breaking international investigation, featuring farms, cage-makers and slaughterhouses across France, Italy and Portugal, lifted the lid on an industry that cages millions of quail every year.

Hundreds of compassionate people like you emailed the European Commissioner Andriukaitis calling to End the Cage Age for quail.

2017

In March 2017 the European Parliament responded to pressure from Compassion in World Farming supporters, and voted in support of protection for farmed rabbits. This historic vote, which backed a report calling for the end of caged rabbit farming, was a real breakthrough.

However, it’s down to the Agricultural Ministers to make the welfare of rabbits a priority, and persuade the European Commission to introduce a new law.

2018

The ground-breaking End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) launched on the 11th September 2018 and closed exactly a year later, having gained over 1.4 million verified signatures calling for a ban on cruel caged farming in the EU.

2019

We launched a petition demanding a parliamentary debate on the use of cages for UK farm animals. The petition quickly surpassed the 100,000 signatures required to secure a debate.

During the caged farming debate, Defra Minister Victoria Prentis MP announced that;

the Government are currently examining the future use of cages for all laying hens...

and said the Government was also

completely committed to the ambition that farrowing crates should no longer be used for sows.

This was a welcome advance in the Government’s policy and we urge Defra to consult on ending the use of farrowing crates and enriched cages.

2021

Farrowing Crates Bill

A huge thank you to over 32,000 people who asked their MP to back a Bill to ban farrowing crates in England. On 10th March 2021, Sir David Amess made a clear case in Parliament for eliminating these cages, and the Bill has permission to go to a second reading.

We now need Defra to adopt the legislation, and The Times reports a government source as saying it’ll “act this year” to end the use of crates. We’re stepping up the pressure, and we’ll keep you updated on this chance to protect mother pigs.

ECI End The Cage Age Hearing

On the 15th April the European Parliament held a public hearing on the End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI), which was warmly welcomed by the three European Commissioners present during the debate. A large number of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) made interventions and, overall, the End the Cage Age ECI received overwhelming support.

We are taking steps to tangible action because, as I have repeatedly stated, animal welfare and animal health are very high on our agenda,

We are very much aware that we need to do more, and we need to strive for better. And we are absolutely determined to do so. The European Citizens’ Initiative is a timely reminder of that. It is a heartful example also at democracy at its best.

Stella Kyriakides, Health and Food Safety Commissioner.

Other actions you can take

• If you haven’t already done so, please call on your animal welfare minister to ban all cages for UK farm animals.
• Want to End the Cage Age in your community? Download our cage-free Communities guide for tips on targeting convenience stores in your area and persuading store managers to go cage-free.
• Want to learn more? Find out exactly what’s wrong with cages and read our report
• Sign up to our newsletter to hear about new actions you can take on campaigns like this