EU animal transport regulation: Eight hours of animal transport is enough!

FOUR PAWS appeals to politicians to "transport" this demand to EU member states who think differently

 Eight hours of animal transport is enough. In order to emphasize this demand also at the EU level, FOUR PAWS, as one of the large animal welfare organizations in Germany, appeals to political decision-makers to do some persuasion among their foreign counterparts. This appeal is sent to the politicians in a toy animal transporter. It bears the inscription: "Eight hours of animal transport are enough. Please transport this message."

   Every year 360 million animals are transported across Europe, mostly under catastrophic conditions and without time limits. In the current legislative process in the EU, at least an improvement in these conditions is possible. The current draft of the EU animal transport regulation provides for an interval regulation, which ultimately allows unlimited transport times for the animals (nine hours drive - twelve hours break - nine hours drive - twelve hours break, etc., etc.). The federal government also considers this draft to be inadequate and votes in favor of the eight-hour limit. This regulation will be voted on in the European Parliament at the end of March.

   "We support the position of the federal government to limit the transport time for slaughter animals to a maximum of eight hours. If it is not possible to reach a majority in the EU in the vote, animal transports will continue for days or even weeks. Officially ordered breaks are not a solution here problem, especially if the animals are supposed to stay on the trucks during breaks," says Dr. Marlene Wartenberg, Managing Director of FOUR PAWS. "Furthermore: With the enlargement of the EU on May 1, 2004, the political situation here will continue to deteriorate if there is no vote at the end of March. Because the majority of the candidate countries would vote against the eight-hour rule."

   FOUR PAWS therefore urges political decision-makers to influence their counterparts accordingly in the crucial time remaining until the vote at the end of March and to convince them of the version of the animal transport ordinance that is better for the animals.

   "Limiting the transport time for slaughter animals to eight hours is the minimum requirement from the point of view of animal welfare. FOUR PAWS is asking the Ministry of Consumer Protection not only to limit the transport time for slaughter animals, but also for fattening animals," says Michaela Braun, FOUR PAWS livestock campaigner.

Source: Hamburg [ Four Paws ]