At the border between Bulgaria and Greece we discover an animal transport with Romanian calves. At a hot 38 °C it crosses the border - our team takes up the pursuit.
We accompany the animals all the way to Albania. The conditions inside the truck for the animals are bad: there is a dirty layer of far too little bedding underneath them. It seems that too many animals have been loaded. At these temperatures, the lack of space further prevents the animals from regulating their body temperature. The calves Madalina, Crina and Adela lie with their heads on the backs of their companions - a sign that they are tired. The fatigue coupled with the extreme temperatures certainly mean stress and suffering for the animals.
At the Albanian border, the Greek veterinary authorities do not even check the condition of the calves, although it is mandatory to do so. We have been observing this misconduct here for years. We will also report this case to the responsible authorities. It must not be possible that animals are transported out of the EU without any control.
