The Brazilian Ministry of Environment has backed the development of a Universal Declaration on Animal Welfare (UDAW), moving the whole country towards recognising the importance of how we treat animals.

On 14 May 2009, Minister Carlos Minc signed a statement of support for the development of a UDAW on behalf of the Ministry of Environment.

Minister Minc also promised to present the concept of a UDAW to President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva and encourage him to follow his positive example on behalf of the whole Brazilian government.

The Ministry of Environment’s support reflects public opinion – more than 232,000 Brazilians have stated their support for a Declaration. With Brazil’s influence both within the region and on the international stage, their support has the potential to improve the lives of millions of animals.