Howell's was one of five South Wales schools invited by RSPCA Cymru to debate animal welfare issues at the Welsh Assembly building, Ty Hywel, on Friday, June 24th. Rookmini and Anoushka had the difficult task of arguing against the RSPCA having the greatest responsibility for animal welfare, while Ayesha and Siani argued in favour of the local authorities having the primary role. Dani and Ziraili acted as Media Officers, tweeting throughout the day and writing a news report on the events.
After the debate, there was a very informative tour of the Senedd before lunch, and in the afternoon students questioned a very distinguished panel representing all the stakeholders in animal welfare: local authorities, the police, Welsh Assembly Government, vets, the RSPCA and the general public. Rookmini asked about the procedure for investigating complaints of animal abuse, Anoushka asked whether all pet ownership should be recorded, Ziraili asked if all stray animals should be neutered and Siani asked if there was a conflict between farmers' need to make a profit and animal welfare issues. All the questions provoked lively responses, with a great deal of support for recording pet ownership and the neutering of strays, and a strong argument that good animal welfare is actually cost effective for farmers. It was a packed and interesting day.
