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Animals Count
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Animals Count will be the first UK party ever to put animals at the top of the political agenda. It will encourage other political parties to raise the bar as long as they fail to protect the weaker individuals of our society.
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“With half the EC budget going on unnecessary livestock subsidies, there’s never been a better time to re-examine tax payers’ money spent on unsustainable farming methods that are associated with poor animal welfare and human health,” says Animals Count party founder Jasmijn de Boo, 31, who was a candidate for the Dutch ‘Party for the Animals’ in the 2004 European Parliament elections. This party won two seats in the Dutch Parliament on 22 November 2006 in their third elections in three years.Ms Marianne Thieme (leader) and Ms Esther Ouwehand (no.2), MPs for the Dutch Party for the Animals will be present at the inaugural Animals Count meeting on 3rd December.
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Animals Count intends to field candidates for the 3rd May 2007 Welsh Assembly elections, targeting those seats (20) that are chosen by proportional representation rather than via the ‘first past the post system’. For a media info pack and interviews please contact: Jasmijn de Boo (Chair), phone: 078 80624310, email: info@animalscount.org, website: www.animalscount.org

Millions of animals are exploited every day for food, consumer products, so-called 'sports' or other forms of entertainment, as models for human disease, or are simply neglected. Issues of major concern include intensive farming, the use of animals in scientific research and testing, improper companion animal care and ongoing pressures on wildlife. We have a duty to protect animals from suffering. Defending animals is about upholding the right to life; particularly, a cruelty free life. At present animals are not adequately protected by any political party. Animal issues never rise to the top of the political agenda because political parties are primarily concerned with humanitarian issues. However, many animal issues are highly politicised, with advocates for animals and opponents across the political spectrum.

Do you want real improvements for animals? Are you disappointed in the current political system? It's time to change! The UK has a reputation for being the world's leading animal-loving nation. Let's show this even more in a democratic, new and exciting political party that is primarily focused on animals: Animals Count!

Animals Count will be active in England, Wales and Scotland. Its founder, Jasmijn de Boo, was an active member of the highly-successful Dutch 'Political Party for the Animals', which went from strength to strength in the Dutch general elections in 2003, the 2004 European Parliament elections, and which won two seats in the general election on 22 November 2006!

Our vision : A world in which animals are not exploited and are seen and treated as sentient beings.

Our mission : To establish a voice for the animals through a dedicated political party that focuses on respect and compassion for all living beings.

The first elections Animals Count will contest are the 2007 elections for the Welsh Assembly.

Animals Count aims to:
Phase out farming systems with poor welfare consequences for animals
End the long distance transportation of live animals
Establish an independent transparent scientific inquiry to thoroughly review the ethical, scientific and economic implications of animal research
Ban all hunting, with no loopholes
Establish a basic national animal health care system comparable to the NHS


Our mission is to establish a voice for the animals through a dedicated political party, which focuses on respect and compassion for all living beings.
We believe that animals, whose well-being often ends up at the bottom of people's priority list, are in need of better protection.

Animals Count will set a new agenda on animal welfare, an issue dear to millions and on which MP’s receive more mail than any other.

As the UK political party most strongly advocating for the protection of animals, ‘Animals Count’s aims are:

To raise the moral and legal status of animals by recognising them as sentient beings, including through facilitating recognition and consideration of the rights of animals in the UK Constitution, in the UK Animal Welfare Act and in EU Directives and other international legislation.
To facilitate increased respect for all sentient life by promoting animal welfare education and humane education at all educational levels.
To protect the environment through sustainable farming and development activities.
To protect human rights and promote healthy living.

Farmed animals

To phase out farming systems with poor welfare consequences for animals.
To improve animal welfare by raising farming standards and by removing trade barriers and other measures that encourage poor welfare or husbandry standards. Alternatives not using animals or practices greatly enhancing animal welfare are supported.
To phase out livestock farming subsidies in sectors where consumer demand is falling, and redirect such subsidies towards plant based agriculture and the promotion of biodiversity. Livestock farming subsidies should further be redirected to: 'environment', 'education', 'public health' and 'pensions'.
To end the long distance transportation of live animals to European continental destinations and further afield.

Laboratory animals

Establish an independent transparent scientific inquiry to thoroughly review the ethical, scientific and economic implications of animal research.
Based on ethical, ecological and scientific grounds the use of all non-human primates in experiments should be banned immediately.
To ban all harmful use of animals in scientific research, toxicity testing and education. To facilitate increased funding for the development, validation and implementation of non-animal alternatives.

Wild animals

To ban all hunting.
To promote wildlife preservation, habitat conservation and biodiversity.

Companion animals

To establish a basic national animal health care system comparable to the NHS.
To establish a list of animals that can suitably be kept as companion animals based on their needs. All other (exotic) animals are unsuited as pets and should not be kept.
To ban breeding of companion animals to meet breed standards or for other purposes that result in hereditary anatomical, physiological or other impairments potentially contrary to animal welfare.
To strengthen legislation and regulations against animal neglect and abuse by strengthening and extending police powers, increasing penalties for offenders, and increasing public education programmes concerning responsible companion animal care and related topics.

Animals used for entertainment

To phase out the use of animals for blood sports, racing events, any other form of entertainment, and in advertising, that may result in adverse animal welfare consequences.
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Animals Count
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