Prevention and responsibilities
Prevention: better animal husbandry and responsible use of medicines
The new rules put more emphasis on prevention, in line with Parliament's long-standing position.
All farmers and other animal owners and traders will be obliged to apply the principles of good animal husbandry and a prudent, responsible use of veterinary medicines and the Commission should keep an eye on the actual use of animal antimicrobials in member states and regularly publish comparable and sufficiently detailed data to this end.
Responsibilities and strays
The agreed rules clarify the responsibilities of farmers, traders, animal professionals including veterinarians and also pet owners, to ensure the good health of their animals and to avoid introducing or spreading diseases.
For instance, vets should be legally obliged to raise awareness of the interaction between animal health and welfare and human health and better inform owners about the problem of resistance to treatments, including antimicrobial resistance.
