ANIMALS PROTECTION AMENDMENT BILL FAILS DESIRABILITY TEST

ANIMALS PROTECTION AMENDMENT BILL FAILS DESIRABILITY TEST

• 31 August 2023
• Agriculture, Land Reform & Rural Development
• SA Legal Academy

The National Assembly’s Agriculture, Land Reform & Rural Development Committee has rejected an Animals Protection Amendment Bill tabled in February 2021 by the ACDP’s Stephen Swart.

This was confirmed in a committee report tabled in the House on 30 August 2023.

The Bill’s overarching objective was to make testing cosmetics on animals an offence.

According to the report, the procedurally required motion of desirability on the Bill was rejected by majority vote. This decision was informed by the following:

• no such testing takes place in South Africa
• ‘90%’ of the ingredients used by local cosmetics manufacturers are imported
• prohibiting the use of ingredients tested on animals in other countries could impact negatively on:
  • employment in the local cosmetics industry and its development, as well as
  • international trade
• an ‘holistic approach’ to animal welfare is needed, rather than piece meal amendments to existing legislation
• a comprehensive Animal Welfare Bill should be developed by the executive, addressing all aspects of animal welfare
• meanwhile regulations addressing the issue could be made under the Animals Protection Act, 1962.

Once the report has been adopted by the House, the Bill will be withdrawn or allowed to lapse.

Please click the links below for more information:

• parliamentary papers including the report (page three)
• Bill

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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