Animal rights are to be given a high profile by Essex County Council following a successful motion put by the Labour group to last week's council meeting.
The council, while acknowledging that there were some "excellent" policies to protect animals already in place, agreed that there was a lack of county-wide co-ordination.
A group of councillors will now investigate the present situation in detail and report back to the council.
It will also consider the possibility of employing an officer to co-ordinate animal welfare issues and of drafting an animal welfare charter.
Labour councillor Richard Bourne said, "I am delighted that we have been able to accomplish this major breakthrough in Essex County Council policy. Animal welfare issues are increasingly important to the public and I am very pleased that we have been able to put the care of animals to the top of the council's agenda."
Published Monday, December 16, 2002
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