Transportation of animals
Live transport causes suffering on a massive scale: more than 1,000,000,000 animals are transported every single week, many on unnecessary and long journeys.
Every week, hundreds of millions of farm animals endure journeys lasting hours, days, weeks or months, in cramped conditions on their way to slaughter.
They experience stress and exhaustion, rough handling, hunger and thirst, extreme temperatures and unsanitary conditions as they are transported live across the world. As a result, the animals suffer horrific injuries, diseases are spread and many die before reaching their destination.
We already have the technology to transport fresh chilled and frozen meat. For this reason, long distance transport is not only cruel, it is unnecessary.
Every week, hundreds of millions of farm animals endure journeys lasting hours, days, weeks or months, in cramped conditions on their way to slaughter.
They experience stress and exhaustion, rough handling, hunger and thirst, extreme temperatures and unsanitary conditions as they are transported live across the world. As a result, the animals suffer horrific injuries, diseases are spread and many die before reaching their destination.
We already have the technology to transport fresh chilled and frozen meat. For this reason, long distance transport is not only cruel, it is unnecessary.
Transportation of farm animals - Investigation in the U.S.
This is a video of a 2005 investigation of a US farm animal transportation done by Compassion Over Killing.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. Animals being transported to slaughterhouses are crammed tightly into trucks, and travel for more than 60 hours without food, water or rest. They are exposed to harsh weather, and die from heat exhaustion or freeze to death -- often being frozen to the side of the truck -- before even making it to the slaughterhouse.
These animals are treated as nothing more than money gaining products from the time they are born, during transport, and when they are slaughtered. They have done harm to no one, and yet are given no mercy.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. Animals being transported to slaughterhouses are crammed tightly into trucks, and travel for more than 60 hours without food, water or rest. They are exposed to harsh weather, and die from heat exhaustion or freeze to death -- often being frozen to the side of the truck -- before even making it to the slaughterhouse.
These animals are treated as nothing more than money gaining products from the time they are born, during transport, and when they are slaughtered. They have done harm to no one, and yet are given no mercy.
Live animal export from Australia to Asia
Every year millions of Australian animals are exported live for slaughter. Cattle, sheep and goats are sent all through the Middle East and South East Asia — to countries where animal welfare laws do not protect them. Tens of thousands of animals don't survive the sea journey and those that do, disembark into countries where they are transported, handled and then slaughtered in appalling ways. Most animals slaughtered overseas have their throats cut while they are fully conscious, leading to an incredibly painful and prolonged death.
Over the past seven years Animals Australia has conducted investigations in the Middle East into the treatment of exported Australian animals. The evidence from these investigations across seven different countries has consistently revealed the willingness of Australia's live export industry, and consecutive Federal Governments, to export live animals to the Middle East regardless of how cruelly they will be treated. Only last November, Animals Australia investigators once again documented horrendous abuse of Australian sheep in Kuwait. The footage, which aired on ABC1's 7.30 Report, outraged Australians, yet once again the Federal government maintained its support of this cruel trade.
Indonesia has been the main destination for Australian cattle with 4.6 million exported to this country over the past decade. Animal protection groups had hoped that the treatment of cattle in Indonesia would be better than that of sheep in the Middle East because of the greater level of Australian industry involvement. What we have discovered however, is that we couldn't have been more wrong. Evidence gathered in Indonesia reveals that the involvement of Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and LiveCorp in Indonesia has actually contributed to and facilitated brutal treatment of Australian cattle.
The evidence gathered against Australia's live trade during the recent Indonesian investigation and in the Middle East in the eight years prior is damning. No amount of profit, no amount of excuses can justify Australia's continued involvement in live animal export — the associated cruelty inflicted on animals — and the message that we are sending to other nations as to what is acceptable treatment of animals.
When Australia's live trade was exposed as supplying cattle to Egypt in the full knowledge that it was routine practice for cattle to have their leg tendons slashed to disable them prior to slaughter — the Federal Government should have ended the trade then and there. This further evidence of Australian interests knowingly supplying animals to even worse abuse in Indonesia demands that the Federal Government acts now.
In a historic union — Australia's two peak animal welfare bodies RSPCA Australia and Animals Australia have joined forces to demand the Gillard Government immediately halt the live trade to Indonesia and then announce an end date for live animal export. If you care about animals then please add your voice and help to end this cruel trade once and for all.
Read also: The Investigation »
Over the past seven years Animals Australia has conducted investigations in the Middle East into the treatment of exported Australian animals. The evidence from these investigations across seven different countries has consistently revealed the willingness of Australia's live export industry, and consecutive Federal Governments, to export live animals to the Middle East regardless of how cruelly they will be treated. Only last November, Animals Australia investigators once again documented horrendous abuse of Australian sheep in Kuwait. The footage, which aired on ABC1's 7.30 Report, outraged Australians, yet once again the Federal government maintained its support of this cruel trade.
Indonesia has been the main destination for Australian cattle with 4.6 million exported to this country over the past decade. Animal protection groups had hoped that the treatment of cattle in Indonesia would be better than that of sheep in the Middle East because of the greater level of Australian industry involvement. What we have discovered however, is that we couldn't have been more wrong. Evidence gathered in Indonesia reveals that the involvement of Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and LiveCorp in Indonesia has actually contributed to and facilitated brutal treatment of Australian cattle.
The evidence gathered against Australia's live trade during the recent Indonesian investigation and in the Middle East in the eight years prior is damning. No amount of profit, no amount of excuses can justify Australia's continued involvement in live animal export — the associated cruelty inflicted on animals — and the message that we are sending to other nations as to what is acceptable treatment of animals.
When Australia's live trade was exposed as supplying cattle to Egypt in the full knowledge that it was routine practice for cattle to have their leg tendons slashed to disable them prior to slaughter — the Federal Government should have ended the trade then and there. This further evidence of Australian interests knowingly supplying animals to even worse abuse in Indonesia demands that the Federal Government acts now.
In a historic union — Australia's two peak animal welfare bodies RSPCA Australia and Animals Australia have joined forces to demand the Gillard Government immediately halt the live trade to Indonesia and then announce an end date for live animal export. If you care about animals then please add your voice and help to end this cruel trade once and for all.
Read also: The Investigation »
Australia's live animal export industry has proven time and time again that they simply cannot be trusted.
They claim to "set the benchmark for animal welfare" and uphold "world's best practice", yet consecutive investigations have revealed a cruel and callous industry that puts profits before animals and hides the truth from the Australian public.
See through the spin... LiveExportRort.com
They claim to "set the benchmark for animal welfare" and uphold "world's best practice", yet consecutive investigations have revealed a cruel and callous industry that puts profits before animals and hides the truth from the Australian public.
See through the spin... LiveExportRort.com
Long distance animal transport across Europe
Today, too many animals are transported under unacceptable conditions on European highways.
The most important issue is the duration of the transports. Current EU legislation allows for animals to be transported for several days. This has to be changed. Live animals for slaughter should never be transported for more than eight hours.
The most important issue is the duration of the transports. Current EU legislation allows for animals to be transported for several days. This has to be changed. Live animals for slaughter should never be transported for more than eight hours.
The PETITION
Please sign the petition and support 8hours. The goal is to collect 1,000,000 signatures, something EU politicians will not be able to ignore. Please sign at the link: http://www.8hours.eu/
Thank you very much!
Thank you very much!
on March 15, 2012 the European Parliament
adopted the Written Declaration 49/2011 on the establishment of a
maximum 8-hour-journey limit for animals transported in the European Union
for the purpose of being slaughtered
Every year millions of farmed animals are transported alive, under unacceptable conditions, on European roads, only to be slaughtered on arrival. Animals spend entire days on the road, with terrible consequences: wounds, fractures, asphyxia, sufferings, death.
Today, 15/03/2012, the European Parliament ADOPTED the Written Declaration 49/2011 on the establishment of a maximum 8-hour journey limit for animals transported in the European Union for the purpose of being slaughtered - being signed by 395 MEPs !
A concentrate lobby campaign was made by animal welfare supporters from Member States on their MEPs.
After contacting the MEPs/their assistants during the plenary sessions after January, informing them with regards of the reality of animal transport, the argumentation of the necessity of change legislation in accordance with the requirements of the Lisbon Treaty (Art. 13 TFEU), of morality and the necessity of minimal compassion, considering extreme suffering of the animals but also arguments from economical point of view, 76% Romanian MEPs have signed The Written Declaration no. 49!
This is one of the largest animal welfare campaigns ever conducted in Europe. It was launched by Animals’ Angels - an international organization which has documented hundreds of cases of severe suffering endured by transported animals - together with Danish MEP Dan Jørgensen (the most recent video of animals being transported from the EU to Turkey: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNiXxN2Kj3s
“This is a historic moment for all those who care about animals. The call of one million citizens cannot be easily ignored by the EU institutions. But this is just a fundamental milestone in a campaign that will end only when long-distance journeys of animals sent for slaughter are banned in the EU” - said Christa Blanke, Founder of Animals' Angels.
“In reality what goes on today on the European roads is animal cruelty. This has to be stopped” - said Danish MEP, Dan Jørgensen.
“We live in the 21 century in a society, which we became used to call a humane society. It is time to prove it” said Czech MEP, Pavel Poc.
Over 1 million citizens have already signed the www.8hours.eu petition, calling for an end to long-distance journeys for animals sent for slaughter in the European Union.
Today, 15/03/2012, the European Parliament ADOPTED the Written Declaration 49/2011 on the establishment of a maximum 8-hour journey limit for animals transported in the European Union for the purpose of being slaughtered - being signed by 395 MEPs !
A concentrate lobby campaign was made by animal welfare supporters from Member States on their MEPs.
After contacting the MEPs/their assistants during the plenary sessions after January, informing them with regards of the reality of animal transport, the argumentation of the necessity of change legislation in accordance with the requirements of the Lisbon Treaty (Art. 13 TFEU), of morality and the necessity of minimal compassion, considering extreme suffering of the animals but also arguments from economical point of view, 76% Romanian MEPs have signed The Written Declaration no. 49!
This is one of the largest animal welfare campaigns ever conducted in Europe. It was launched by Animals’ Angels - an international organization which has documented hundreds of cases of severe suffering endured by transported animals - together with Danish MEP Dan Jørgensen (the most recent video of animals being transported from the EU to Turkey: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNiXxN2Kj3s
“This is a historic moment for all those who care about animals. The call of one million citizens cannot be easily ignored by the EU institutions. But this is just a fundamental milestone in a campaign that will end only when long-distance journeys of animals sent for slaughter are banned in the EU” - said Christa Blanke, Founder of Animals' Angels.
“In reality what goes on today on the European roads is animal cruelty. This has to be stopped” - said Danish MEP, Dan Jørgensen.
“We live in the 21 century in a society, which we became used to call a humane society. It is time to prove it” said Czech MEP, Pavel Poc.
Over 1 million citizens have already signed the www.8hours.eu petition, calling for an end to long-distance journeys for animals sent for slaughter in the European Union.