The Czech Senate approved the ban cages for laying hens from 2027.

Around 4.5 million hens are raised in cages each year in the Czech Republic. Hens have very little space, equal to an A4 paper, in so-called ‘enriched’ cages. Enriched makes it sound better, but the cages are extremely cruel as the animals don’t have enough space for their natural behavior, such as wing-flapping.

Luxembourg, Austria, and Germany have laws in place already to ban cages. With the Czech Republic banning cages, CIWF hopes the EU will join soon too.

“This is an important step towards a Europe-wide ban on cage farming,” Olga Kikou, head of Compassion in World Farming EU, said. “We are all delighted that today’s success brings us closer to our goal and may inspire other EU Member States to take a similar step.”

ANO deputy Patrik Nacher said the Czech Republic should also consider a ban on the sale in the Czech Republic of cheaper eggs from countries without such restrictions on chicken farming.

Every year, over 300 million pigs, hens, rabbits, ducks quail, and calves are imprisoned in cages across the EU.

The End the Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative recently collected over one million signatures from EU citizens, who called for an end to this cruelty.

Czech member organization Společnost pro zvířata has been campaigning for the ban of cages since 1998.

Romana Šonkova, Compassion in World Farming’s Representative in the Czech Republic, commented: “Hens are not egg machines. They are sentient beings. They are capable of suffering, but also of enjoying life. This victory finally gives them a chance for a better life.”