Secondary legislation created under the Minister for Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries makes species-specific provisions for rearing, livestock transportation, and slaughter.
Legislation on farmed animals largely exists to comply with European Union regulations on farmed animal welfare; however, Denmark's laws go beyond EU requirements in some cases, as with its removal of the religious exemption which for stunning prior to slaughter.
[8] In 2016, Denmark's Council of Ethics—a government think-tank—stated that Danes are "ethically obligated" to reduce their beef consumption, though they cited only environmental concerns rather than reasons related to animal welfare or rights.
[9] In 2016, official statistics reported that 273,224 experimental procedures were performed on vertebrates and cephalopods in Denmark.
[11] Footage from investigations of Danish fur farms has shown mink engaging in abnormal behaviors such as pacing and repetitive circling/nodding of the head, as well as self-mutilation, due to being confined in small wire cages.