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

ANIMALS’ ANGELS and ANDA once again inspect the calf market in Pola de Siero. The market is well organized and the veterinary inspections are strict. Still, being at the market is extremely stressful for the animals that are often only 2 weeks old. The calf Lucas was already at the market in Santiago de Compostela in the morning. The ANIMALS’ ANGELS/ANDA Team escort him to Pola de Siero from there. He is exhausted, lies down almost the entire time, his coat is smeared with the diarrhea of other calves. But commerce knows no mercy: After being at two different markets Lucas continues on to the French province of Montalban per long-distance transport. ANIMALS’ ANGELS will continue to fight for a prohibition of long-distance transports for unweaned calves.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS and ANDA meet with the director of the market in Santiago de Compostela and the city council member in charge of the market in order to discuss further structural improvements for the market. ANIMALS’ ANGELS and ANDA are promised that the slippery floor will finally be renovated, as it represents a special stress factor for the animals. In addition, the watering system at market will be improved and a milking machine will be procured. ANIMALS’ ANGELS and ANDA will monitor the realization of these measures.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS is once again inspecting the Rates cattle market in Portugal. The market has improved since the new, private veterinarian is present. Nevertheless, the animal welfare situation is still not acceptable. The main reason for this is the inadequate effort of the official veterinarians. The official veterinarians do inspect the animals for fitness for transport, but appear to have very low criteria because it still happens that cows that were loaded at market collapse during transport and have to be euthanized at the slaughterhouse. It is also very negative that the official veterinarians do not intervene in cases of maltreatment, e.g. extreme stick beatings in the face and to the udder and the prohibited use of electric prods. ANIMALS’ ANGELS will thus continue to monitor the market and campaign for a replacement of the official veterinarians at market.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS conducts an animal welfare course for the handlers and farmers at market in Ponte de Lima in northern Portugal. Cattle, sheep, goats, ducks, chickens, pigeons, geese, turkeys and rabbits are being sold at this market, which was not built until 2005. The accommodations for and the handling of the cattle, sheep and goats is acceptable and the private veterinarians conduct strict animal welfare inspections among them on a regular basis. However, the handling of the birds is cause for concern. Many of them are simply placed in cardboard boxes in which they cannot stand up straight. Boxes and cages are often stuffed so full that the animals can barely move. The cages are equipped with drinking systems, but only few can reach the water because the cages are too crowded. In the best case, boxes with holes are used as means of transport for the birds. Others are simply stuck into buckets with their legs tied together. The veterinarians seem to overlook this part of the market. ANIMALS’ ANGELS shall advocate for better treatment of and accommodations for the birds at market and for the inspections at this part of the market being increased.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS meets with responsible person in DPI Qld to discuss improvements so far and we also present current list of welfare concerns garnered from recent visits. We seek clarification from DPI on the correct regulatory response to some common enforcement and compliance issues. DPI has included info on duty of care obligations in its recent educational workshops. Industry discretion is discussed in relation to whether all points of criterion for bobby calves fitness for sale must be met, and how literally codes must be interpreted. DPI agrees to respond to some welfare concerns we’ve raised and to issue more animal welfare signage to certain saleyards, and some copies of welfare legislation and saleyard codes to two saleyards.

Animals’ Angels attends the plenary meeting of the advisory group for the food chain, animal and plant health of the European Commission. The agenda primarily contains presentations by various organizations that give their view of the commission’s priorities for the next five years. Animals’ Angels emphasizes the importance of compliance with the animal welfare provision and reminds everyone that Animals’ Angels has found considerable shortcomings in this regard time and time again.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS Team follows a transporter with Dutch pigs on their way to a slaughterhouse near Budapest. The transporter gets into a long traffic jam at the Frankfurt interchange and then again before Würzburg and we are glad that the temperatures are not yet summery. The two drivers do not take a break until nighttime at a rest area in the Czech Republic, where we then have the opportunity to inspect the animals and the load conditions. Since the transport meets the requirements of the Animal Transport Regulation we do not call for an official inspection.

The 3-day auction is billed as the Mid-Ohio Exotic Animals and Bird Sale. Animals present include camels, horses, llamas, deer, pigs and miniature pigs, buffalo, African cattle, wallabies, raccoons, bears, wolves, several types of primates, several types of birds that are sold in pet stores, mice, snakes, frogs, turtles. Vehicles from many different states, PA, NY, VA, MI, IN, TN, were observed in the parking lot. Investigators observed a female burro, apparently in season, being mauled by many of the other burros. Auction workers moved the burro to a separate stall after investigators pointed out the concern. Many animals had no water or empty water buckets. At this auction, owners are supposed to feed and water their own animals. Once sold, the animal is supposed to be taken care of by the new owner. Investigators observed as a seller with mini donkeys complained to auction employees. She told them that the burros in the stall next to hers had not had any water or food for 2 days. The employee went and brought back some water for the animals. The auction needs to monitor the feeding and watering of the animals to ensure that all animals have access to water and food. ANIMALS’ ANGELS will inform auction management of these findings and recommend improvements.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS counts 21 calf transports that arrive in the Port of Cherbourg from Ireland. Among them are transports of very young calves screaming with hunger. They have been on the truck for at least 23 hours. ANIMALS’ ANGELS follows five transporters with small calves to a supply station nearby. The calves are not unloaded and supplied for 12 hours as required. The transporters leave the station after 3 hours. ANIMALS’ ANGELS will file a complaint against the transporter and the operator of the station.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS observes transporters taking lambs from Rumania, Hungary and Slovakia to Italy. In the time period preceding Easter an alarming number of lambs are taken to the slaughterhouses in order to satisfy the enormous demand for lamb roast for the Christian Easter feast. All lambs are loaded on four levels and the ceiling is too low for some animals on all of the trucks so that they cannot stand in normal posture. We find a lamb whose leg has become trapped between the truck’s side wall and the load floor. The driver complies with our request to free the lamb.