Sweden's Satisfactory Animal Welfare Law

Australian ethical philosopher Peter Singer once famously stated “it is Sweden that is now showing the way forward in animal welfare, as it has often done in respect to other social reforms.” This optimistic interpretation of Singer appears to be accurate given that the country has gone above and beyond the requirements set out in EU statutes for animal welfare legislation.

Non-human animals are given significant legal protection under Swedish animal welfare regulations. These laws in question restrict techniques such as beak trimming and tail docking within the country. All plausible, Sweden stands out to be a good example of animal welfare. That also leads to Sweden being ranked in a fairly high position in the Animal Protection Index; what is more, Sweden's most recent Animal Welfare Act (SFS 2018:1192), which is adopted in April 2019, had even enhanced the animal welfare position even in a further position.

Moreover, it is also worth noting the influence of civil organizations in the country that have a powerful stake in the field of animal rights. According to Wahlstrom and Peterson (2006), Sweden has an "open cultural opportunity structure" in which individuals are more inclined to listen to and be influenced by the animal rights movement's message. On the same page, "Animal Rights Sweden" is the country's oldest and largest animal rights organization, and its declared policy is to work within the framework of current Swedish law. In accord, K. Jacobsson & J. Lindblom have noted that "Animals Rights Sweden comes with a substantial background in non-legal activism, having meanwhile arrived at the conclusion that legal activism provides a more effective means to bring about social change."

With that being said, Cecilia Mille and Eva Frejadotter Diesen's report "The Best Animal Welfare in the World? – An Investigation into the Myth About Sweden" debunks the "myth” of Sweden having the best animal welfare legal status, while also admitting that Sweden leads in various aspects in the field of non-human animals’ welfare. The failure of Sweden to outlaw fur farming for certain species is highlighted in their report. Given the fact that the report was published in 2009, the Swedish government's reputation as a major player in animal welfare remains tarnished, as the practice is still being carried out tragically in 2022. Furthermore, when it comes to the use of non-human animals in entertainment, such as in zoos or circuses, the country continues to maintain double standards: only 12 types of non-human animals, like elephants and sea lions, are prohibited from being exploited by human animals, while the other species are untouched by the law. Hedman, Berg, and Stéen observed this stagnation in Swedish animal welfare legislation when they examined how "there have been no systematic evaluations of the consequences of amendments to the legislation. " 

Consequently, we recognize the distinctive importance of non-human animals in Swedish animal welfare legislation while also addressing several critiques on specific concerns. The Swedish government is thus encouraged to fully prohibit fur farming, which is inherently cruel and causes distress and harm to non-human animals; and to recognize its species understanding, particularly in some legislations such as prohibiting the use of certain species in entertainment or scientific research and putting an end to it.

Bibliography

Singer, P. (2009). Animal Liberation, updated edition. New York, p.144

 Wahlström, M., & Peterson, A. (2006). Between the state and the market: Expanding the concept of ‘political opportunity structure’. Acta sociologica, 49(4), 363-377.

Jacobsson, K., & Lindblom, J. (2012). Moral reflexivity and dramaturgical action in social movement activism: The case of the plowshares and animal rights Sweden. Social Movement Studies, 11(1), p.48.

Mille, C., & Diesen, E. F. (2009). The Best Animal Welfare in the World?: An Investigation Into the Myth about Sweden. Djurens Rätt.

Lundmark Hedman, F., Berg, C., & Stéen, M. (2021). Thirty Years of Changes and the Current State of Swedish Animal Welfare Legislation. Animals, 11(10), p.8