The European Parliament has today supported an own-initiative report by Janusz Wojciechowski MEP on the protection of animals during transport.
Every year, more than 360 million animals are transported via European roads, rail and waterways and at least six million of those animals are subjected to long-distance transport. Loading and unloading are very stressful operations and long transport adds to the suffering by exposing the animals to a lack of space, hunger, thirst and exhaustion. Journeys often last for more than 40 to 50 hours, sometimes up to 90 hours before the animals reach their destinations.
The intended purpose of 45% of the EU's long distance live animal trade is slaughter and 55% of the journeys are for further fattening. A large proportion of animals are not slaughtered as close as possible to the place where they were reared, mainly for economic reasons.
Although Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 is intended to provide protection for animals during transport, severe problems persist, due mainly to poor enforcement by Member States. The Wojciechowski report sends a strong message to the Commission to act quickly:
- to ensure effective enforcement of legislation on animal transport across all Member States;
- to evaluate the economic, environmental and social costs and benefits of animal transport, comparing the transport of animals for slaughter and the transport of carcasses and food products;
- to implement an extensive consumer information campaign on animal welfare;
- to ensure that, in all bilateral trade negotiations with third countries, EU animal welfare rules are included as the minimum standard;
- to introduce proposals for EU-wide data collection and control through real-time satellite navigation;
- to research technology to control temperature and humidity in livestock vehicles;
- to increase Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) animal welfare inspections ;
- to ensure that veterinary controls take place at the end of the transport.
Welcoming the report, Michel Courat of Eurogroup for Animals (of which OneKind is a member) commented that “As Eurogroup we still believe that there are some areas where we would call on the Commission to go even further, especially when it reconsiders limiting the transport time of animals. We believe that this time should be minimised as much as possible and that animals should be slaughtered as close to the place of origin as possible.
“There has been much resistance by the Commission to come forward with new legislation but it must take its responsibilities seriously.”
Meanwhile in the UK, DEFRA has announced that exports of live animals through the port of Ramsgate in Kent will face tougher welfare checks. In September, more than 40 sheep had to be destroyed on the advice of the RSPCA after an incident at Ramsgate, the only UK port now involved in the trade. Lame and injured sheep had been found unfit to travel after being transported on a lorry from Northamptonshire. Two others drowned.
OneKind sees both of today’s developments as progress, and a welcome recognition of the suffering of animals in transport. But what we need – what the animals need - are strict limits on journey times, slaughter as close as possible to the point of rearing, and rigorous enforcement. This is all far too long in coming.