Animals\' Angels - wir sind bei den Tieren | we are there with the animals

We never lose sight of our goal: Long-distance transportation of animals must end!

Our strategy is persistent, professional with a total unwavering commitment to the animals. The many small and large successes are milestones on the way to securing fairer treatment for the animals.

The following reports show our successes and achievements in 2010. Our successes in previous years can be found »in the Archive.

In cooperation with Italian animal rights organisation LAV, Animals’ Angels published a brochure for Italian control authorities (i.e. police, Carabinieri, veterinarians) regarding the transport of animals not fit for transport. The short practical „guide book“ explains the steps to be taken by authorities when finding animals that are not not fit for transport during a control. The brochure will be handed out during future police trainings conducted by Animals’ Angels and LAV and can be downloaded from the website www.trasportoanimali.it.

Bodzentyn cattle market: In various meetings with the municipality of Bodzentyn and the regional veterinarian, measures for stricter monitoring of the cattle market were now fixed. The market will be closed for a short time and then reopened under new conditions. Among other things, there will be new market rules, security cameras and more inspections by the police.

 

Successful inspection after police training: Within the context of a police training course in Lower Saxony, 16 transporters were inspected, ten of them had violations and in one case charges for animal cruelty were filed by the police. Several daily newspapers reported on the inspection.

During a meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture in Warsaw we learn that due to our complaints regarding a staging point in Poland, the competent official veterinarian had to bear the consequences and his position was filled with someone else. Animals’ Angels had documented false certificates for calf transports on several occasions.

Letter from the mayor dated 26 April 2010: ANDA and Animals’ Angels had inspected the cattle and horse market in Potes from 1 – 2 November 2009 and found severe shortcomings causing the animals additional and unnecessary suffering and stress. In response to the complaint by ANDA and Animals’ Angels the mayor of the city now assures us in writing that improvements will be made at the market, e.g. access to water for the animals and safe pens. In addition, the mayor confirmed that the city administration has consulted the regional government in order to improve the animal welfare situation at market.

A first positive step: Various regional newspapers report on the criticism against the horse market in Padrón made by Animals’ Angels and the Spanish animal welfare organization ANDA. Representatives of the mayor’s office in Padrón then told ANDA and Animals’ Angels that the city was considering not having any more market days.

The city council responsible for the market at Pola de Siero meets with the team composed of the Spanish animal welfare organization ANDA and Animals’ Angels in order to discuss what financial expenditures the city should make to further improve the animal welfare situation at market. ANDA and Animals’ Angels find it urgently necessary that straw be used as bedding for all animals throughout the entire market.  In addition, ANDA and Animals’ Angels advocate for the installation of automatic watering systems for all of the animals. The city council promises to go forward on these two measures within what is financially possible.

Animals’ Angels has successfully finished the first refurbishment of a barn in the Bodzentyn region. When they were not working on the fields, the three horses of the family were constantly tethered in a windowless barn. From this week on, they can finally enjoy their spare time on a beautiful meadow that Animals`Angels has built for them. In addition, big windows were added to the horse barn and goat barn. New kennels with shelters were built for the four chained dogs. A part of the costs will be paid back by the farmers through microloans. The dog kennels were completely sponsored by Animals`Angels.

At the request of the veterinarian responsible for the market, Animals’ Angels conducts an animal protection course for the users of the market in Ponte de Lima in northern Portugal.

A Spanish veterinarian approaches Animals’ Angels with the request to inspect a horse market near Santiago de Compostela. She has tried in vain to achieve improvements, but without success. Therefore she asks the Animals’ Angels Team for support now.

The director of the market in Santiago de Compostela and the city council responsible for the market assure the Spanish organization ANDA and Animals’ Angels that they will meet the demands of the organization to improve the floor covering, install new drinking systems and procure a milking machine.

The police, Corpo Forestale and the competent veterinarian inspect animal transports crossing the former Fernetti border to Italy. A fine is imposed on one transporter with Hungarian lambs because the required ventilation system only works partially. A transporter taking lambs from Rumania to Italy receives a fine of 2,000 euro because of a defective watering system; he is ordered to unload the animals until the truck is fixed. In addition, a transport with dogs is stopped – fines are imposed because neither the transporter nor the transport vehicle is licensed.

Simultaneously with the inspections at the former Fernetti border crossing, the police, Corpo Forestale and veterinarians also undertake inspections at the former Gorizia border crossing. Here too a fine is imposed against a transporter because the water break for the lambs was not observed.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS thanks the police, Corpo Forestale and veterinarians for their commitment!

During a long-distance transport of pigs from Spain to Italy Animals’ Angels had observed that a great number of the animals could not reach the watering system due to the design of the vehicle. The veterinary authority that is responsible for the licensing of the vehicle then notified us that technical modifications of the truck were ordered.

During an inspection of a slaughterhouse in the Province of Vercelli the Carabinieri NAS find a 3-year old steer named Paco with an open, pus-filled injury on his hind leg and a strongly bleeding head wound. Paco was no longer able to stand up. Research revealed that Paco was transported to the slaughterhouse for over 15 hours. Since he had balance problems due to the leg injury, which he already had prior to loading, he hit his head during transport. An animal in this condition should not have been loaded but treated by a veterinarian or undergone emergency slaughter on site. Carabinieri NAS of Turin file complaints against 7 persons for animal cruelty.

1.8 million fewer animals were transported to Italy.
In 2007, 6.3 million cattle, pigs, sheep, goats and horses from EU member states were transported to Italy. In 2008 this number decreased to 4.5 million.

In the month of December the ANIMALS’ ANGELS Team in Poland provided first aid to 61 horses and one cow. Bogdan and Karina carried out a total of 51 hoof corrections and one claw correction. Seven horses received de-worming medication from Anna and Nadja, two horses were given tooth treatments. Now the horses can chew and digest their food properly again. Four additional horses were treated for fungal infections and lice.

The Spanish media reported extensively on two complaints that ANDA and Animals’ Angels filed against Spanish transport companies. The forwarders transported lactating cows from Germany to Spain without observing the proscribed milking intervals. The cows suffer severe pain if they are not milked regularly. On complaint by Animals’ Angels a German veterinary authority did not clear a transport with lactating cows to Spain because the forwarder could not prove that he could milk the cows en route.

Horse rescued from abusive conditions
The ANIMALS’ ANGELS Team discovers Tarik the gelding during an inspection of a farmyard. The muck in the stable is piled so high that he has to stand with his head bent and his back almost touching the ceiling. The stable has no window – it is stuffy and pitch-dark. ANIMALS’ ANGELS contacts the district veterinarian, who is willing to seize the horse if no agreement is reached with the owner. Tarik’s owner, a totally impoverished farmer, recognizes the seriousness of his situation and takes Tarik to his mother’s farmyard. There our Team inspects the existing stable and stipulates requirements that Tarik’s owner has to implement within the next few days. Our Team return to her farmyard for an inspection. Afraid of losing his horse, the owner has fulfilled all of our specifications. He has cleaned the stable and put in a window that lets in light and fresh air for Tarik. Until we find a financing option for a new stable, Tarik’s temporary accommodation is now acceptable. »Read the detailed report here!

Improvements at the Market in Corao
After receiving notices and complaints from Animals’ Angels and ANDA, the municipal administration of Cangas de Onís made verbal promises that there would be improvements at the cattle and horse market that takes place in Corao four times a year. The planned improvements are now being implemented: A loading and unloading zone is established as well as pens to accommodate calves, drinking systems are installed and it is now possible to wash and disinfect trucks.

The ANIMALS’ ANGELS Team treated a total of 28 horses in Poland during the month of January. Blacksmith Bogdan corrected the hooves on 26 horses and three horses were given de-worming medication. We gave Daisy the mare medication for her fungal infection.