ANIMALS’ ANGELS observe a driver loading sheep onto his truck. He uses two muzzled dogs to run over and around the sheep. Although the Code for transporting animals in Victoria provides a set number of sheep at a given weight that can be loaded into a pen on a truck, there are additional criteria which must be taken into account. The density of loading of animals in stock crates should be determined by the need to minimize injury but allow cast animals to rise with assistance. On this truck, in some pens the density is at an unacceptable limit given there are sheep who are unable to rise even when the driver tries to help sheep stand. He makes no move to change the density. The DPI has left the yard and when they call back their response is that unless there was an incident of cruelty they are unable to take action. The regulator isn’t present to check the animals for any possible ‘cruelty’. After the first 30 minutes the driver is required to stop and inspect the animals but he fails to stop at any point during the 90kms journey to the slaughterhouse in Geelong.
13.03.2012 | Australia | Trail from Ballarat Saleyard, Victoria
