Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)

The Bill appears to exclude farmers, or others with personal experience of certain practices, from performing fairly basic animal care procedures, such as the paring of hooves. It will be ridiculous if farmers have to call veterinary professionals every time they want to perform such a relatively simple task, which can be done safely and without causing harm to animals by those reared on farms or with direct experience of animals. I will be breaking the law if I pare a donkey's hooves, as I did last weekend, after this legislation is enacted. I would not like to break the law.

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