Animals' Angels and ANDA conduct joint inspections of two transports carrying young calves for fattening from Romania to Spain.
The few-weeks-old animal babies scream in hunger. They bite and lick the truck’s side rails, push each other and try to stick their heads through the openings, hoping we would give them food. The sight of them and their bellowing is heart-wrenching. Many of the animals, normally being immune-compromised, suffer from diarrhea. The head of Leontin is covered in another calf’s feces. One of the Rumanian drivers seems to feel sympathy: "As soon as we reach Barcelona they will get something to eat.", he tells us – seemingly trying to rather comfort himself.
Long distance transports of unweaned animals who are depending on milk (replacers) regularly violate the EU regulation on the protection of animals during transport. This is because the mandatory sustenance of the animals is, per se, technically and logistically impossible. Nobody doubts this. But instead of finally putting an end to long distance transports of unweaned animals, as ANDA and Animals' Angels have been demanding for years, their transports continue and all supervisory bodies up to their highest ranks just turn a blind eye to it. They do not hear the calves’ screams.
Especially in the Netherlands, first attempts are being taken by the authorities to stop these 'hunger transports'. But until an EU-wide foray into banning long distance transports of unweaned animals, we still have a long fight ahead of us.
