The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is holding a consultation for improvements to animal welfare in transport and the public are welcomed to have their say. In other words, this could see the end of calf exports and the tightening of regulations for other species.

In 2019, 3,446 calves were exported from the UK and around 200,000 exported from Ireland. Given the huge welfare issues which arise with exporting new-born calves for many hours – their final destination being Spain from the UK – exports are currently suspended. This consultation could result in the outright ban for exporting calves for slaughter and fattening (given they are killed before six months old). This will eliminate British calves being fattened in Spanish veal farms.

Animal Justice Project would like to see an outright ban of animals being exported, independent of species and whether or not they are being exported for slaughter, fattening or breeding. This should all be ended with immediate effect. The huge welfare implications cannot simply be monitored by tightening regulations for other species such as sheep, chickens and pheasants. We have submitted our application to let them know our thoughts. You can too, by clicking here! The deadline is February 25th 2021.

Here are our answers to various questions to help you:

Q: Do you agree that livestock and horse export journeys for slaughter and fattening are unnecessary? Please explain your views.

A: Yes. The export of any animal is unnecessary and has been shown to cause great distress, suffering and even death for many individuals. Other welfare issues arise such as dehydration, injuries and the spread of diseases. Transportation abroad is detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the animal and has been shown to put them at risk of human mistreatment during loading, stops at control posts and unloading. A great percentage of the general public are against the live export of animals, as can be seen in any public survey on the topic.

Q: Do you agree that in order to prohibit livestock and horse export journeys for fattening where the animal will be slaughtered soon after arrival, these export journeys where animals are slaughtered within 6 months of arrival should be prohibited? Please explain your views.

A: I agree that a total ban must be put in place. A ban which include allowances for animals to be fattened for six or more months first does not eliminate the major welfare breaches seen during their initial journey. The implementation and regulation of a six-month minimum killing limit will not be possible. A total ban must be implemented. The traceability of these animals is vital and once they are exported abroad, who will be responsible for keeping track of their welfare, age of slaughter, etc.? And what is preventing them being exported further into North Africa, the Middle East and further? A total ban is vital.

Q: Do you agree that the only exceptions to prohibiting live export journeys should be for poultry live exports, and animals going for breeding or production that will not be slaughtered within 6 months of arrival? Please explain your views.

A: I do not agree in all areas mentioned.

Poultry should not be exempt from the ban. They face major welfare issues too, the key being lack of food and water leading to dehydration, overcrowding, spread of disease and human mistreatment. Bird may become injured and are highly susceptible to the outdoor weather conditions too.

Animals being transported for breeding or production should also be included in the live export ban. They face the same welfare issues during transportation as mentioned previously. With these animals facing even lower standards than that of the UK, how is this legal? The UK boasts the ‘highest welfare standards’ of the world so why are we allowing the exportation of animals into lower welfare system and into situations which would be illegal here in the UK. Two examples being sow stalls and battery cages.

Q: Do you agree with the proposed maximum journey times as outlined in Table 1? Please explain your views and highlight any potential regional impacts that your business or organisation might experience.

A: We would like to see a total ban on the live export of animals from the UK. This means that total journey times would not be needed as we would not see animals being exported. As a country which is very vocal about our welfare standards, allowing animals to leave into unregulated, untraceable regions abroad would be highly irresponsible and would result in huge welfare breaches for all animals being exported.

Q: Do you see a need for any exceptions to the maximum journey times and, if so, why? Please provide evidence.

A: No exceptions. No animals’ welfare should be an exception.

Q: In the case of such exceptions, what requirements should be put in place to ensure animal welfare is protected?

A: There should be no such exceptions.

Q: Do you agree that a new journey should not start until a minimum of 48 hours have elapsed after the previous journey? Please explain your views.

A: There should be no exceptions under a live exports ban, including for all species. We must implement a total exports ban for live animals.

Q: Do you agree that there should be a minimum 7-day rest period for cattle? Please explain your views.

A: There should be no live exports of cattle. Their welfare is greatly compromised with every journey and the standards of which awaits these animals is likely to be lower than that of the UK. This should not be allowed.

Q: Do you agree that we should prohibit both short and long poultry journeys when the external temperature is outside of a temperature range of 5-25oC, unless the vehicle is able to regulate the internal temperature within this range for the duration of the journey by means of a thermo-regulation system, and that this temperature range should be 5-25oC? Please explain your views.

A: Yes. No animals should be transported outside of these temperatures, within the UK. No animal should be exported outside of the UK at any point. Transportation of poultry, independent of the weather, incurs huge welfare problems such as lack of food and water leading to dehydration, distress, human mistreatment, overcrowding, etc.

Q: Do you agree that we should prohibit both short and long livestock and horse journeys when the external temperature is outside of a temperature range of 5-30oC, unless the vehicle is able to regulate the internal temperature within this range for the duration of the journey by means of a thermo-regulation system, and that this temperature range should be 5-30oC? Please explain your views.

A: Yes. No animals should be exported, we must implement a total ban. All of these animals are subject to the suffering and distress of live exports independent of their species, age, outcome at destination or external forces including temperature (though this will clearly add to the distress, health problems and potential of death).

Q: Do you think that there are other species that should be considered as vulnerable and have a smaller external temperature range applied, outside of which journeys cannot take place? Please provide evidence.

A: All species must be considered for a total ban on live exports. All animals are subject to the welfare compromises that come with live exports and external factors such as temperature. Day old chicks, game birds for shooting and breeding, young calves, sheep, cattle, etc. will all suffer during exportation. Young animals will be particularly susceptible.

Q: Are there any other steps that can be taken to ensure animal welfare can be maintained in extreme weather? Please provide evidence.

A: Only by creating a total ban on live exports will we see no compromising of animals’ welfare.

Q: Do you agree that we should use allometric principles as a basis for future space allowance calculations? Please explain your views.

A: Allometric principles should be implemented for animals being transported safely within the UK, but this would not need apply to animals in live exports if we see a total ban being implemented. With any level of live export, we will see great welfare compromises, of which we should not be allowing.

Q: Do you think that reforms to space allowances based on allometric principles should apply to both short and long journeys? Please explain your views.

A: As above: Allometric principles should be implemented for animals being transported safely within the UK, but this would not need apply to animals in live exports if we see a total ban being implemented. With any level of live export, we will see great welfare compromises, of which we should not be allowing.

Q: Do you agree with the proposed species-specific headroom requirements? Please explain your views.

A: Lack of room for any species during transportation will incur in welfare issues. Animals will be distressed through overcrowding and being unable to stand-up, move around and lay down. With a total ban on live exports, we need not see these compromises of animals’ welfare take place.

Q: Do you think that the proposed species-specific headroom requirements should apply to both short and long journeys? Please explain your views.

A: Yes, as above: Lack of room for any species during transportation will incur in welfare issues. Animals will be distressed through overcrowding and being unable to stand-up, move around and lay down. With a total ban on live exports, we need not see these compromises of animals’ welfare take

Q: Do you agree that we should prevent animals from being transported in rough weather at sea and that animals should not be transported during Beaufort Wind Force 6 or above? Please explain your views.

A: Yes, within the UK. Any transportation outside of the UK should not take place. The welfare of animals should be of our utmost priority and live exports compromise this greatly. Wind particularly will be highly dangerous and cause great distress to all species being transported. This will also create greater risks of vehicles being over turned and animals suffering greatly.

Q: Do you think that there should be any exceptions to the previously mentioned proposals alongside the specific exceptions already outlined, excluding the proposal to prohibit live exports for slaughter and fattening? Please provide evidence.

A: There should be no exceptions under a total ban on live exports for fattening, production or slaughter as well as for shooting. All must be banned.

Q: What conditions should be met in order to ensure animal welfare is protected in the case of other exceptions?

A: N/A. See above: There should be no exceptions under a total ban on live exports for fattening, production or slaughter as well as for shooting. All must be banned.

Q: Do you think that it should be possible to obtain permission to use an exception on an ongoing basis to avoid the need for transporters to apply before every applicable journey? Please explain your views.

A: No exceptions should be made before or during. These journeys must not be allowed to go ahead under a total ban on live exports.

As always,

For the animals.

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