It is midsummer and extremely hot in Italy. Once again, we are out on the roads, monitoring traffic and hoping not to see any animal transports during the daytime. The heat is taking a heavy toll on us; our clothes are completely soaked with sweat. It is 6:30 p.m. and the outside temperature is 28°C when we spot a truck carrying pigs. We approach the vehicle and speak with the driver. The animals originally came from Denmark, were raised in northern Italy, and are now on their way to Naples. They were obviously loaded in the afternoon, during the hottest part of the day. We can see the pigs breathing rapidly, their bellies moving quickly up and down. Oliver and Jens even have their mouths open and are drooling. Like dogs, they regulate their body temperature through panting, inhaling as much fresh air as possible and allowing the moisture on their tongues to evaporate. They are restless. Inside the truck, the air is humid and suffocating. Before us stretches a sea of pink bodies whose frantic breathing pulses in a constant rhythm, like endless waves rolling across the ocean.
The pigs are expected to travel 700 km under these conditions. This undoubtedly causes unnecessary suffering to these heat-sensitive animals, which can already experience heat stress at temperatures as low as 23°C, depending on humidity levels, and therefore violates European regulations. Yet no one checks this, because it is wrongly assumed that so-called short-distance transports are not subject to temperature limits. We estimate that this short journey will take around 10 hours. Logistically, it would be entirely possible to carry out the transport during the night, when temperatures are significantly lower. Why this does not happen, however, remains unanswered.
