A team of ‘Viva! Poland’, on behalf of Animals' Angels, inspects a cattle market in Radzymin. Approximately 200 cows are for sale. One truck is rejected from entering the market as it is transporting a downer cow. Our investigators witness how the driver parks the truck outside the market, unloads a healthy cow who he walks to the market and returns to the truck to drive away with the downer cow still on board.
The team calls the municipal guards, who arrive immediately and stop the truck. The present vet instructs the driver to bring the cow to a nearby assembly centre where the vet plans to check on the cow’s condition. The driver instead drives to his own farm (followed by vet and municipal guards) yard where he drags the weak cow off the truck. Our team is witnessing all happenings and urges the veterinary to release the severely suffering cow and humanely euthanize her – but the vet refuses, suggests a treatment and hands the responsibility back to the farmer.
We are now preparing a prosecution of the driver as well as an official complaint against the veterinary service. We are in touch with the competent authorities and are trying our best to ensure that the cow is looked after properly and is receiving professional treatment.
