Today, from 10:30 am to 17:00 pm, our team inspects Pugu cattle market where approximately 600 ‘slaughter’ cattle are for sale.
The animals are provided shelter and water troughs, but in much too small numbers. Some animals have their legs tied together. Repeatedly, our team spots animals being emaciated, some due to malnutrition and others because of high age. They also spot cases in which exhausted cattle are getting pepper rubbed into their eyes in order to force them back on their feet. Two cattle being too exhausted or hurt to get up are lying on the back of a truck. As the market offers no possibility for emergency slaughter, they are nonetheless sold and afterwards lifted onto another truck bringing them to a slaughterhouse.
Despite strict Tanzanian legislation, the problems at the market are severe. Our team takes its findings to the market director, the market’s veterinarian and the police and urges for desperately needed improvements.
