Scotland Proposes Historic Ban: No More Caging Laying Hens in the UK

The Scottish government has taken a significant step towards enhancing the welfare of animals by initiating a consultation on the prohibition of cage usage for hens in egg production. Agriculture minister Jim Fairlie emphasized that Scotland’s potential adoption of such a measure would position it as a pioneer in animal welfare improvement. The UK prohibited the use of battery cages for birds back in 2012. However, over 1.1 million chickens in Scotland still endure confinement in “enriched cages,” which offer marginally more space for nesting, roosting, and scratching compared to…