Animals’ Angels inspects a live animal transport with young bulls from Estonia at the border station Kapikule on the evening of 16th April. The Polish hauler has not put enough litter on the floor, so that the little available hay can no longer absorb the faeces and urine. A stench of ammonia comes from the lorry.
The lorry remains at the border station until the next morning the day after. Animals’ Angels checks the drinking troughs of the animals. The watering system of the top floor does not work properly: the animals can lick up only drops of water. The food supply is almost used up. A huge pool of excrements is on the lorry floor, because of which the animals do not lie down despite their exhaustion. On 19th April the lorry is still stuck at the border station, entering Turkey is still not permitted. Allegedly something is wrong with the import documents. Animals’ Angels gets in touch with the Estonian and Turkish ministry.
Some animals on the lorry eat the wet dung, some roar – as seems to us – out of thirst and hunger, some display stereotypical behaviour, which is a sign of stress and deprivation, in addition to tongue rolling and mutual sucking of their genitals and eating of their hair. The stench on the vehicle is nauseating. At midday on 20th April the import documents are finally complete. Animals’ Angels is informed that the lorry has a short break at a supply station shortly after the Turkish border and continues his journey to its destination on 21st April. Animals’ Angels and other animal welfare organisations have repeatedly complained about this haulage firm to the appropriate authorities in Poland. Animals’ Angels’ goal is that the licence for the transport of live animals is withdrawn from this carrier.
