31 July 2024

Essere Animali

As heat waves surge throughout Europe, animals are vulnerable to extreme temperatures, especially when they are being transported by road and sea. A new investigation found animals forced to travel at temperatures above 45° without water and left under scorching sun in Italy, whilst another explored the issue of dead animals being tossed off of export vessels into the Mediterranean sea.

A recent investigation by Essere Animali, in which they monitored transport shipments of animals on highways in Italy, revealed some animals are being transported in trucks of internal temperatures reaching up to 48 degrees. Their photos and footage show pigs gasping for air and left without access to water. In one case, animals were left for long periods under the scorching sun with fans turned off in the truck, while drivers took their break.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. The welfare of animals during transport continues to be poorly protected by European laws. According to regulations animals should be safeguarded against “extreme temperatures”, but there are no clear definitions, as well as no enforcement. Furthermore, national travel is exempt from this rule.

Essere Animali, together with Eurogroup for Animals, calls for the long distance transport of live animals to be banned, and that clear references are introduced for temperatures, taking into account humidity and the condition of animals.

Animals washed up on beaches

The demand for exports to third countries has risen sharply. The EU’s Member States export around three million animals by sea to distant countries, posing significant risks to animals with increased mortality rates. 

Treated like unwanted waste, deceased animals are disposed of in the Mediterranean. Not only is this completely insensitive, but it increases pollution and also risk of shark attacks at numerous tourist hotspots on Mediterranean beaches.

In over 50 media-documented cases, dead and discarded animals from livestock vessels were washed ashore in France, Spain, Greece, Israel and Portugal among others.

A new film by Animal Welfare Foundation shows the extent of this issue, with a clear call to action: live animal transports to third countries are wrong in every respect and must be stopped.

egards Mark