A positive development for this key Europe-wide campaign concerning animal transportation.
Written Declaration 49/2011, which establishes a maximum 8-hour journey limit for animals transported in the European Union for the purpose of being slaughtered, was finally adopted by the European Parliament during last week’s plenary session in Strasbourg.
In total, 395 MEPs supported the Declaration, which originated in the Europe-wide 8Hours campaign launched by the German organisation Animals’ Angels and Dan Jørgensen MEP and supported by OneKind and other animal welfare groups.
The declaration calls on both the European Commission and Council to review the current live animal transport legislation – Regulation 1/2005 – with the intention of reducing the maximum time allowed for transport and ensuring that animals do not suffer from thirst, stress, injury or even death.
“This is a key moment in a campaign that will end only when it has limited the transport of animals over long distances for slaughter. The Declaration and the collection of one million signatures are part of the 8 hours campaign which calls for a limitation on the transport of live animals for slaughter to a maximum of eight hours. Travel today can last several days, causing extreme suffering to many animals, especially the old and young especially during the warmer seasons and this is completely unnecessary and unacceptable,” commented Dan Jørgensen MEP.
“Animals should be slaughtered as near to their home as possible and the transport of live animals over long distances should be replaced with the transport of carcasses, for the sake of the animals, the environment and the economies of rural areas,” he concluded.
OneKind contacted all UK MEPs asking them to sign the Declaration and received many positive responses. The Written Declaration will now be forwarded to the European Commission for consideration.