One Really Good; One Really Bad –
Spot the Difference ?
Category: Live Transport
At the Agriculture Ministers meeting in Brussels on 14.05.2019, Lithuanian Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis reminded Member States’ agriculture ministers to respect EU animal transport standards. This is especially true for the transport of animals at high temperatures.
The relevant EU regulation clearly states that the transport of animals at temperatures above 30 ° C should not be authorized. Nevertheless, there were cases in the past year in which the animals from 15 EU Member States, for example, were exposed to high temperatures during their transport across the border with Turkey.
Specifically, Andriukaitis also complained about a recent case in which he called on an EU minister of agriculture to prohibit such transport due to high temperatures.
Although the Health Commissioner did not mention the name of the Member State, in all likelihood he was referring to Romania.
So Andriukaitis had urged the Romanian Minister Petre Daea to prohibit the transport of about 70,000 sheep in Arab states due to high temperatures.
The Bucharest minister had rejected this request from Brussels as unfounded.
The Lithuanian, meanwhile, announced that, while there was still no ground for infringement proceedings (!!!) his services were keeping a close watch on the transactions in question.
A representative of the Romanian delegation representing Agriculture Minister Daea in Brussels defended his country’s actions in the case of Midia. In his opinion, there must be a tolerance margin of 5 ° C to the upper temperature limit of 30 ° C. In addition, it should be remembered that the animals from the southern countries are better used to high temperatures than those from northern countries (!!!)
Therefore, the current regulations disadvantage the southern countries, which then have to fight with financial losses. Nevertheless, Romania also wants to improve conditions for the transport of animals by sea (!!!)
Andriukaitis, who will no longer be a member of the upcoming Commission for reasons of age, also advocated an amendment to the EU Animal Transport Ordinance
https://www.topagrar.com/rind/news/eu-tiertransporte-bei-hitze-aussetzen-11611596.html
And we think…The bad news is that Andriukaitis does not want to initiate infringement proceedings against Romania.
As always, the priority is loyalty among business partners.
The good news is that he, who has never done anything for the animals, or has shown never any responsibility for our health, bids farewell to his post.
We wish him a good rest, although we know best of all that he does not deserve the rest, because he never did anything.
He becomes in the story as the “Do Nothing Commissioner”, a failure one the worst kind!
It was the one who said that “5G and glyphosate – both are safe for health”.
And it was the one who advocates the renewed approval of the herbicide glyphosate for another 10 years in the EU.
We hope that we will never meet him again.
My best regards to all, Venus
Update: 26/7/19 2000hrs GMT.
The Al Shuwaikh may be trying to change its identity from that of ‘Livestock vessel’ to that of a ‘Cargo Vessel’. To make tracking more difficult we ask ?
It is currently positioned in the Gulf of Aden, SE of the city of Aden.
Things we do know (but have inserted ‘x’ at some positions – we know full details):
The ETA for Kuwait has now changed from 2/8 to 3/8.
IMO – this is an International Maritime Organisation unique number – 850’xx’61 for this vessel.
MMSI – Maritime Mobile Service Identity – 447’xx’00’xx’ for this vessel.
Call Sign – a unique alphanumeric identity for the vessel – 9K’xx’ for this vessel.
Regardless of the (possible) identity change to try and confuse us, there are many ways of monitoring the constant position of this vessel; especially as we know the above. As we showed earlier; you can run but you cannot hide.
https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/07/26/26-7-19-romanian-sheep-carrier-vessel-latest-position/
WAV.
WAV Comment:
Please note that the following was made on 26/6/19 – is weeks in advance of the record breaking temperatures that have been seen across Europe for the period 22-26/7/19.
In the following it says:
Despite a warning from the EU Commission to Member States not to export animals during hot weather conditions, evidence collected by NGOs at the main EU exit points demonstrates that animals are systematically loaded into trucks and vessels regardless of weather forecast and EU requirements.
We have said all along on this site, that the EU is just not capable of enforcing its own regulations. The so called ‘welfare’ of animals in transport – Regulation 1/2005 is one, the main one, that is supposed to give some protection to animals being transported alive.
Certain EU Commissioners, in the past, have been very outspoken about groups calling for better regulation enforcement for animals in transport. The groups are ignored and instead some of these Commissioners works to just be a mouthpiece for business in their own member state. Like most EU issues, we doubt the EU has the capability to take action against these illegal activities. As Commissioners, they should act for the EU as a whole rather than their own individual member states:
We very much welcome actions by the few member states who are trying to help animals in transport – see their names below – but the reality is as always; the EU talks hard and big about rules and legislation, when in reality, the whole EU system is a farce, a shambles; led by those who can do nothing; and yet together, decide nothing can be done !
As an animal welfare organisation, all that we can do is continue to expose the terrible suffering of animals around the world. Where, for example, the EU fails (as it usually does); then we will present this to you with supportive evidence. And, as another thing, we are still waiting to hear what ‘strict actions’ the EU are going to take against Romania for exporting 70,000 live sheep to the Middle East in temperatures around 40 degrees.
The EU has probably packed up today (26/7) for its long Summer holidays; so we expect nothing soon. Lets hop[e all the MEP’s are not packed together in a 3 tier truck heading down to Turkey for their holidays, devoid of food and water. If they were in that position; just see how quickly the rules on animal transport would change and be monitored very closely.
If you’ve been feeling the heat this week, imagine what it’s like for animals crammed into trucks for transportation – often for several days or weeks – without receiving water and veterinary care, and in temperatures largely exceeding 30 degrees.
Despite a warning from the EU Commission to Member States not to export animals during hot weather conditions, evidence collected by NGOs at the main EU exit points demonstrates that animals are systematically loaded into trucks and vessels regardless of weather forecast and EU requirements.
Transportation of live animals outside the EU has proven to be problematic from a welfare point of view even under normal circumstances. With the increase of temperature, the situation drastically worsens. As concluded by DG SANTE: “Due to the inability of the livestock vehicles ventilation system to lower the temperatures in the animal compartment below the external environmental temperature […] it is very difficult for transporters to ensure that animals inside the lorry are kept below 35°C when ambient temperatures are over 30°C”.
Some EU countries are starting to take action to ensure that animals don’t have to endure this hell during heatwaves such as this one. Hungary has recently made a ministerial decision to suspend the export of ruminants to Turkey in high temperatures. The suspension applies to all consignments of live animals without air conditioning, and means that if the temperature of the vehicle reaches a maximum of 30°C + 5°C, the vehicle will be directed to the nearest rest station. The Ministry of Agriculture decision also forbids trucks to continue on from the Hungarian resting places to Turkey if animal welfare conditions are not met. Some restrictions are also in place in Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic, where due to extreme temperatures for 3 days starting from today, the State Veterinary Administration announced that it will not dispatch consignments of farm animals from the Czech Republic for more than 600 km.
“We welcome the Hungarian ministerial decision and we urge other Member States to follow this example,” says Reineke Hameleers, director of Eurogroup for Animals. “We call on the Member States and the Commission to suspend the live export during summer, as compliance can’t be guaranteed. We need to avoid the immense suffering of the animals as witnessed over the past years at all costs.”
The Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) stresses that transportation of live animals should not be started if temperatures are expected to exceed 30 degrees during any stage of the journey.
Update: 26/7/19 0925hrs GMT.
The Al Shuwaikh has finally managed to leave the Red Sea,
It is currently in the Gulf of Aden, East of Khor Angar (Djibouti) sailing at 16.5 knots..
We are not sure this morning if the vessel is trying to stop us from tracking it by declaring itself as a ‘Cargo vessel’ rather than a ‘Livestock carrier’ – but we can and will track it regardless.
‘We have all the time in the world’.
‘You can run but you cannot hide’ !
“Its no good” – Depeche Mode.
Enjoy the music – some words are kind of appropriate – that’s why I publish.
As we said in the post fairly recently when the vessel was docked in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, all of the sheep (70,000 if that many had survived the heat) may have been offloaded and the ship may be returning to Kuwait empty now.
But we are using this vessel and the consignment as a ‘test piece’ example basically to check our tracking capability; and to let the exporters know that we can, and will continually publish data on their locations in the world. In other words, we are watching them at all times. See the above in Red.
We use only legal ways of tracking which is available to everyone if they know how to do it – there is nothing illegal about the system we use.
Regards Mark
We will not give up.
These days we realized that the carriers fear us more than the authorities.
We do not see this as a success for us, but as further evidence that the system and the implementation of animal welfare rules are not working.
25/7/19 – UK – Good News for Animal Welfare.
As some of you are aware, yesterday saw the appointment of Mr Boris Johnson as the new Prime Minister of the UK. Mr Johnson has the intention of getting the UK out of the EU by the end of October 2019.
Given all the failings of the EU which we continuously present in posts on this site; especially those regarding intensive farming and live animal transport; for which basically EU Commissioners do not have a clue about taking action on; we were more than please to see within just a few hours of his new position of PM, Mr Johnson has appointed Theresa Villiers as his new Minster at DEFRA; who are responsible for both farm animal welfare issues, as well as that of live animal transport.
It was a welcome to have an e mail this morning; informing that the issue of intensive animal keeping in cages – pigs, chickens etc – is now to be debated by the UK parliament in the House on 9/9/2019.
A petition supported by the British public; only for people who reside in the UK, has resulted in 105,572 signatures to date, which means that the House will debate this issue with a possible view to legislation changes.
The wording of the petition is:
Across the UK, millions of farmed animals are kept in cages, unable to express their natural behaviours. This causes huge suffering.
We call on the UK government to end this inhumane practice by banning all cages for farmed animals. Cages are cruel.
This cannot be the future of British farming.
We, the undersigned, call on the Secretary of State for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs to bring forward legislation that amends the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 to prohibit the use of:
- a) barren and enriched cages for farmed animals including cages for laying hens, rabbits, pullets, broiler breeders, layer breeders, quail, pheasants, partridges, guinea fowl;
b) farrowing crates for sows;
c) individual calf pens
So, the British public, who naturally have concerns about animals and their welfare, are now getting the issue of ‘caged’ animals discussed in Parliament, with a view to legislation change.
This is something that the EU is incapable of; despite so many MEP’s allegedly representing ‘us’ – the common EU citizen ! thus is it any wonder that the UK wants to take back control and get away from the do nothing society of the EU ? – the UK can, and probably will, get out of the EU very soon and make its own new legislation for farm animals which will greatly benefit them. At the moment, as a member state of the EU, the UK has to bow to its Brussels masters and do what they require, despite detrimental effects on animal welfare, which basically the UK citizens detest !
UK citizens regard animals a ‘sentient beings’, who do have rights for their welfare and who must be respected in this. Sadly, the EU talks big on the issue, but as we have shown at the moment with the Romania sheep exported to the Middle East, and a temporary halt on live animal transport in some parts of the EU because of the heat; the EU seems completely incapable of putting 1 and 1 together to make 2.
Why stop animal transport in some parts of the EU, yet allow Romanian sheep (70,000) to be exported live to the Middle east in temperatures some 10 degrees ABOVE the EU, which has a partial ban ? !!
Nothing EU makes any sense as we have recently shown; and because of this, the UK will be glad to walk away from the ‘Yukspeak’ politicians of the EU, who talk big and in reality, do nothing.
Further, we are delighted to see that Teresa Villiers MP is ow the Minister at DAFRA, and we send our congratulations to her on her position.
Out of around 650 MP’s who represent the people in the House of Commons; Theresa has always been known both for her vocal hatred, and her actions on the issue of live animal transport. She is 110% ANTI live animal exports.
When the UK leaves the EU in the coming months, again the UK can take back control from its EU masters and enforce a ban on the export of live animals from the UK. Under Theresa, we think and hope this will be a priority in her new position at DEFRA.
By getting out of the EU, the UK will be doing the right thing for many; including animals and their welfare. The EU is currently incapable of enforcing any of its own legislation regarding animal welfare – the ‘masters’ are the whipping boys of the meat mafia lobbyists, and EU ‘animal welfare’ fails big time as a result of what the industry wants, and gets, via gutless politicians at the EU.
UK welfare organisations; and it has some good ones; will continue the fight for animals from outside of the EU. But the UK will be establishing its own controls for animal welfare, not relying on the dead bats at the EU who basically, do nothing.
Regards Mark
Update: 25/7/19 0925hrs GMT.
The Al Shuwaikh has finally managed to leave the Red Sea,
It is currently in the Gulf of Aden sailing at 16.5 knots.
Current Temperature is around 30 degrees.
Regards Mark
We will not give up.
These days we realized that the carriers fear us more than the authorities.
We do not see this as a success for us, but as further evidence that the system and the implementation of animal welfare rules are not working.
Read the full story of the suffering pigs which the EU ignores at:
https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/07/24/animal-transports-hypocrisy-and-business/
Update: 24/7/19 2000hrs GMT.
The ‘Al Shuwaikh’ has still not manged to leave the Red Sea,
It is currently off Perim Island, near to Fagal which is a city in Djibouti.
Why is this vessel chug, chug, chugging along ? it is doing just 16 knots.
Current Temperature is 32 degrees.
Regards Mark
We will not give up.
These days we realized that the carriers fear us more than the authorities.
We do something – the EU does not.
We do not see this as a success for us, but as further evidence that the system and the implementation of animal welfare rules are not working.
Read the full story of the suffering pigs which the EU ignores at:
https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/07/24/animal-transports-hypocrisy-and-business/
Report of the organization Animals Angels, Germany
The temperatures on the route from Spain to Italy reached the 35 ° C mark last Friday as well.
We accompany a transport with Spanish pigs, which are transported to a slaughterhouse in southern Italy. The animals on the second deck of the vehicle can not drink because the potions are blocked. We therefore decide to alert the police.
But we have to wait until evening gets cooler. In this heat, we can not risk stopping the transport for a long time because the controls can take hours.
Meanwhile, the transport reaches southeastern France.
But the police are not coming. All attempts to turn on French officials fail.
As soon as the transport crosses the border, we try it in Italy, but here too tourism has priority, there are no officials available (!!!)
The transport continues unhindered to the south. Near Rome, the animals are finally dumped.
On the one hand good, because at least they can all be supplied with water.
On the other hand, the haulier does not stick to the rules here either: Instead of the prescribed 24 hours, pigs are given just 10 hours break.
This transit stable is known to bypass the law by means of a trick.
We’re trying to get the police involved again, but there are no officials available from Rome to the south of Naples.
The pigs are not feeling well. They are panting heavily and many have foam around their mouths. The older driver is aggressive, he threatens us with a wooden beating (!!!) tries several times to hang us off and even takes detours to get rid of us. Finally, the transport arrives at a slaughterhouse on the heel of the Italian boot tip.
At the EU Agriculture Ministers Conference a few days ago, the subject of animal transport had been discussed extensively. EU Commissioner Andriukaitis made clear remarks to the EU states to respect the statutory temperature specifications and not to handle transports at temperatures above 30 ° C.
Various ministries, including Spain, Italy and France, had published communications announcing specific measures. But again we have to realize that theory and practice diverge widely.
While all news channels in Italy speak of ‘African heat’, animal transport continues. They are handled despite the heat. All the tricks are used to circumvent the rules – and it is not even guaranteed that the animals can drink on the go.
The police have other priorities and often do not have the opportunity to intervene. We have to let ‘our’ pigs into the slaughterhouse and with a heavy heart we bid farewell to Pedro, Ernest, Ivan, Ruben, Hector and their fellow sufferers.
We are exhausted, sad and angry. Now all we have to do is send complaints to all the parties and authorities involved and get the media involved.
We will not give up. These days we realized that the carriers fear us more than the authorities.
We do not see this as a success for us, but as further evidence that the system and the implementation of animal welfare rules are not working.
teilweise-blockierten-traenken-bringt-schweine-von-spanien-nach-i.html
My comment: A big problem with animal transport is that, first and foremost, there is no time limit for animal transport. The animals can in principle be transported endlessly.
The second problem is that the provisions about transport space, break, supply are formulated so inaccurately that at the end of each transport mafia acts according to its own rules.
The third and biggest problem is transports to third countries, that is, with clear words to countries where the word “animal welfare” is a foreign word. Countries that do not have animal welfare, and treat the animals like potato sacks and kill them like that ..
There is also a fourth problem with animal transport: that corrupt EU commissioners and agricultural ministers from many EU countries have common interests in animal transport, and thus one hand washes the other when it comes to animal transport abuses.
We hear a few warnings, some mails are sent, and the next 20,000 animals are transported back to hell with 42 degrees (illegal) temperature accompaniment.
We are exhausted, sad and angry too.
And we realize that animal transport has become a dirty, political business at the expense of animals, which disgusts and repudiates any democratic and ethical-minded people.
My best regards, Venus
Update 24/7/19 – the Romanian sheep on the ‘Al Shuwaikh’
WAV have today (1120hrs GMT) written to all South East England Members of the European Parliament (MEP’s) asking why 70,000 Romanian sheep are allowed by the EU to be exported live to the Middle East, in conditions which are around 10 degrees hotter than the conditions in Europe, but for which France (another EU member state) has today stopped the transport of live animals !
We really welcome this announcement by the French, who take animal welfare during transport in high temperatures seriously. Pity the same cannot be said about other existing EU member states (Romania).
The EU is master at passing the buck back to individual member states saying that they should ensure enforcement of the rules. Obviously this does not work with Romania; so we now give our South East England MEP’s 48 hours to tell us why it is bad for some and yet ‘good’ for others. MEP’s are supposedly elected by the people to represent the people rather than just sit on the gravy train.
We want action now against Romania and EU Commissioners for allowing the Romanian exports to go ahead. If the EU Parliament can do nothing, then what the point of an EU Parliament representing ‘the people’.
Ref:
The French Minister for Agriculture and Food, Didier Guillaume, has announced on the France 2 TV show ‘4 Vérités’ a suspension on live animal transport because of the high temperatures.
World Animals Voice 