Our policies

Animals in performance sport

What’s the issue?

BVA's position on Animal Welfare states that wherever animals are used for human benefit, including for food, clothing, entertainment, sport, scientific research, education, transportation and companionship, this should be done responsibly, with compassion for the animals involved, and with animal welfare as a priority, including decisions on breeding and selection.

There is public and professional concern that not all animals involved in sport experience  positive welfare across their life span. In response, some sports have made significant investment into providing animals involved with a good life, while others have further to go in meeting these standards consistently.

We acknowledge that members of the veterinary profession may hold a range of perspectives on the use of animals in performance sports. However, the veterinary profession is united in the desire to support and promote practices aimed at providing animals with good lives.

What’s our view?

All sports involving animals should actively promote positive experiences and minimise negative ones, to maximise each animal’s opportunities for a good life. This applies not only during an animals’ moments of visibility in competition, but throughout their entire lives, from breeding and training to retirement and end-of-life.

Safeguarding welfare requires a lifetime approach, and where challenges are identified, the veterinary profession has a key role in supporting and educating to ensure that welfare remains high priority at all levels of performance sport.

This position sets out standards a sport should realistically be able to achieve if welfare of the animal used is prioritised, and the Five Domains model is applied across the three key stages of its life.

Read our policy documents

With thanks 

This policy was developed through our dedicated working group, with thanks to members Esther Skelly-Smith (Co-chair), Robin Hargreaves (Co-chair), Julie Gibson, Emily Craven, Colin Gilbert, Rachel Murray, Heather Bacon, Imogen Burrows (BEVA), Kim Wells (Global Animal Welfare), Dierdre Carson, Barry Johnson (Horse Welfare Board), Kate O’Sullivan (BSAVA), Hazel Bentall (Society of Greyhound Vets), Sarah Cochrane, Jane Williams (Horse Welfare Foundation), Sam Gaines (RSPCA), Malcolm Morley.

We also note thanks to contributors Dr Madeleine Campbell, Dr Jane Williams, Meta Osbourne (World Breeding Federation for Sport Horses), the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, Horse Welfare Board, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board, and the Greyhound Board of Great Britain.

Without the support of our members, we couldn't do the work we do. If you would like to be a part of this, you can join BVA today.