Previous Campaigns and Projects: European Livestock

2012

Annoucement by Animals' Angels 11th January 2012: One Million Signatures Against Long-Distance Live Animal Transport in the EU Reached Today!

This massive mobilisation of European citizens is calling for an end to long-distance journeys for animals sent for slaughter in the European Union. This campaign was launched by Animals’ Angels - an international organisation which has documented hundreds of cases of severe suffering endured by transported animals - together with Danish MEP Dan Jørgensen.

The long duration of the journeys of animals destined for slaughter in the EU often causes them intense suffering and current EU legislation makes it possible for animals to be transported for several days, even though it is scientifically proven and acknowledged by the Commission that the suffering of the animals increases with the duration of the journey.

“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” - said Christa Blanke, founder and Director of Animals' Angels. “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. We have been documenting the suffering caused by animal transports around Europe over many years, and we have seen that all improvements of transport rules are insufficient if long-distance journeys continue to be allowed”.

"The European Commission has so far disregarded the demand for new rules for animal transports. But it will be difficult for the Commission to ignore one million citizens” - said Danish MEP Dan Jørgensen, and adds: “I have made the signal to the responsible commissioner for animal welfare, John Dalli, many times, that the rules for animal transports need to be changed. Unfortunately he does not see the need to respond properly to this call. But he is wrong, and he should act now. If not he will have to explain to the EU citizens why he insists on letting this cruelty go on”.

The collection of one million signatures from EU citizens is part of a larger campaign (www.8hours.eu) calling for a maximum overall 8-hour limit for journeys of animals sent for slaughter. Press Release

In 2011, Naturewatch temporarily revived its campaign to help reduce live export journey times to an eight-hour limit, in line with a commitment in the 2004 EU (Live Export) Regulation. Since 2000, Naturewatch has worked alongside Animals’ Angels (German investigative group) to expose the cruel trade of live exports and to lobby for improved welfare standards. During this window of opportunity set by the EU Regulation, we joined forces once again to push for the eight-hour journey limit. Along with animal welfare groups across Europe, we invited supporters and visitors to our website to sign the '8 HOURS’ petition aiming to collect 1,000,000 signatures.

With this high level of support, EU politicians will be forced to address the issue of live export journey times, presenting Naturewatch, Animals’ Angels and other animal welfare groups with an opportunity to work with the EU to make positive changes.

Background

Since 2000 Naturewatch has campaigned alongside other animal welfare groups to improve welfare standards for farm animals during transport across Europe.

Live export in Europe is a massive industry. All species of farm animals are subject to this cruel trade. Pigs, sheep, donkeys, cattle and horses are all transported from country to country often in inadequate lorries where the pressure on the drivers, to complete the journey in the shortest possible time, seriously compromises the welfare of these animals. Naturally, live export is high on the agenda of many welfare organisations throughout Europe. As there are many countries involved in the traffic of animals, in February 2000, Naturewatch hosted a conference in London to discuss the best way forward.

Naturewatch's campaigns on the welfare of European Livestock have covered three main areas: to see a total 8-hour journey time limit, as opposed to the 24-hours currently allowed by EU law; to improve the conditions of the animals in livestock markets; to develop awareness of animal welfare issues in Eastern Europe.

At the end of 2000 and the beginning of 2001 German investigative group Animals’ Angels published some horrific video footage from Belgian livestock markets. As a result eleven European animal welfare groups banded together with the aim of lobbying for the creation of a European Livestock Markets Directive as EU law currently doesn’t touch on this. Many European livestock markets allow unspeakable cruelty towards animals and are filthy, allowing the rapid spread of disease; the problem exists throughout the European Union, not just in Belgium. It is unbelievable that European law accepts that animals are ‘sentient creatures’ (Treaty of Amsterdam, 1997), then neglects to treat them as such!

At the same time, Naturewatch began its 'Help the Horses' campaign, focusing on the long-distance transport of horses to Italy for slaughter. EU legislation allows for rest breaks for transported animals and adequate supplies of food and water, but research by Animals’ Angels and Naturewatch showed that these laws were being routinely ignored. Together with other welfare groups throughout Europe, Naturewatch demanded a total eight-hour journey time limit, as opposed to the 24-hour allowed by EU law.

2001

At a meeting in Brussels, 11 animal welfare organisations from all over Europe (Naturewatch being one) agreed to form a European Taskforce to help end cruelty at livestock markets. Images: all taken from video of Belgian livestock markets

During the meeting, harrowing video footage was shown of barbaric treatment by market employees to farm animals. Scenes filmed at markets in Ciney and Anderlecht, Belgium, were among the worst ever seen and outrage was expressed that such cruelty is permitted by the Belgian authorities, who are at the heart of Europe and the legislation capital of the European Union! Similar evidence of abuse was presented at the meeting from other European Union states and showed: severe beating and kicking of animals; sick and injured animals being abused; lack of veterinary care for injured and sick animals; cruel and sadistic use of sticks, knives and electric goads; overcrowding of pens with animals tied so tightly they were unable to move.

The European Taskforce resolved to lobby the European Commission for the creation of a Markets (Protection of Animals) Directive as the only related (and poorly enforced) legislation is limited to transport issues and has no influence on the welfare of animals once they are actually in the market. Naturewatch agreed to cooperate with Animals’ Angels to gather evidence and more footage of the current situation in Holland, Spain, France and Belgium. This was planned for April but was postponed when Europe was hit by the Foot and Mouth epidemic and finally took place in November.

2002

In February an exciting new project commenced in Yugoslavia. A mobile caravan was purchased by Naturewatch to act as an information centre at livestock markets. With the support of Animals Angels and the Donkey Sanctuary, the local welfare society ARKA set up the caravan at Ruma where a regular market is held each month. The caravan and its team, including a qualified vet, were on hand all day to offer free aid and advice to both the farmers and the buyers of the animals.

Information flyers were handed out to everyone and the vet, Dr Milan Savovic, engaged the local farmers explaining the importance of ensuring that their animals are well cared for and healthy. In this country, ravaged by war, times are very hard for both the people and animals. But everyone agreed that the best way forward was to continue to develop and build up trust between ARKA and the local farming community. The impact of the ‘Caravan aid’ project was enormous. The ARKA team gained the trust of the animal traders (see top row of images below), who are now open to advice and veterinary assistance, with brilliant welfare results. The terrible sights shown in some of these images are now thankfully becoming increasingly rare.

In France, many markets began considering the idea of adopting a voluntary code of practice and the French Gendarmes circulated a training publication regarding animal transportation laws and lorry controls for use across the entire force. Authorities in France appeared to be listening but the message needed to get through to every European nation and every livestock market.

In September, Naturewatch attended a meeting with MEPs at the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss ways of improving conditions for livestock in European markets and to tighten up regulations in transportation. MEPs were overwhelmed by the number of letters they had received from Naturewatch supporters which helped to ensure the livestock issue was well and truly on the European political agenda!

An unexpected extra benefit of the vast amount of letters from Naturewatch supporters is that the campaign was also officially registered as a formal petition by the European Parliament’s office in Luxembourg. While not something we specifically asked for, this meant that the campaign letter was translated into the eleven official EU languages and submitted to a special petitions committee for consideration, which gave us another angle of approach.

Image right: Naturewatch representatives John Ruane and Christine Lee met Neil Parish MEP (centre), Conservative Agriculture and Fisheries Spokesman, in the European Parliament.

In response to the Naturewatch campaign, most MEPs contacted the European Commission and the response received from the Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection was very positive and they proposed to include livestock markets in the European Animal Live Transport Directive. Livestock markets and transport was the first item for discussion at a European Agriculture Council meeting when the Commission restated its commitment to making improvements. Other European Taskforce members throughout Europe were campaigning along similar lines to ensure their MEPs were also pushing for change.

2003

Despite constant lobbying by supporters of Naturewatch and other animal welfare groups throughout Europe, the European Commission continued to stall in the publication of revisions to the Transport of Live Animals Directive.

However, it wasn’t only the animal welfarists who were starting to get angry about the delays. A group of British, Irish and Dutch MEPs proposed a Written Declaration asking that the maximum transport time for livestock should be reduced to eight hours (it is currently 24) and that existing welfare laws should be more tightly enforced throughout the European Union. A Written Declaration has to be signed by over half of all MEPs within three months in order to be accepted by the Commission. It is very rare that this ever happens, but on this occasion the response of MEPs throughout Europe was overwhelming - by the closing date, a total of 333 MEPs had signed up.

2004 - Stricter welfare rules – but still no limit to journey times

After years of lobbying by the 'European Taskforce' and demands from the European Parliament, on 22nd November 2004 the European Council of Agriculture ministers finally agreed on the terms of a new Regulation concerning the transport of animals, to come into force in 2007.

While the new Regulation was welcomed by animal welfare groups to a certain extent, it still did not address crucial issues such as overall journey times and space allocation.

There is a commitment in the new Regulation to review these issues, but this will not be until 2011, four years after the Regulation comes into effect. So, although the future looks brighter for European livestock, there is still a long way to go.