Category: Live Transport

Scotland: P&O stops transporting calves following BBC investigation.

scot

calves scotland 1

P&O stops transporting calves following BBC investigation

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-45487502

 

A ferry operator has said that it will stop carrying calves to Europe after animal welfare concerns were raised by a BBC Scotland investigation.

P&O said it was ending the practice with immediate effect following the broadcast on Monday of “Disclosure: The Dark Side of Dairy”.

The Scottish government said it was concerned at P&O’s reaction.

NFU Scotland said it was a “disappointing” decision and described the documentary as “sensationalised”.

About 5,000 calves were shipped to Europe last year from Scotland.

Click on the above link to continue reading.

calves scotland 2

Australia: Senators Vote To End Live Exports. But Will The Governments New PM ‘Govern for The People ?’

Australia

BREAKING: live export bill PASSES Senate

That’s right, Mark. Just hours ago, a majority of Australian Senators voted to bring an end to Australia’s cruellest trade. This is a historic day.

In Australia, getting a bill like this passed is a two-step process. We’ve jumped the first hurdle, and there’s now only one thing standing in the way of this bill becoming law — the Morrison government.

To be passed, the government must allow the bill to be brought to a vote in the House of Representatives. The new Morrison Government is refusing to do so. Why? Because they fear that some of their own will ‘cross the floor’ and vote with the Australian Labor Party and crossbench members to pass the bill.

When he became Prime Minister, Scott Morrison promised he would govern for the people. Yet, by preventing this bill from being brought before the parliament, he has blatantly disregarded the will of most Australians who want live export cruelty to end.

This is far from over, Mark. With Labor committing to end the live sheep trade if they win the next federal election, today’s events officially make live export a powerful voting issue.

We’ve taken huge steps forward for animals in this journey. Back in 2011, when another live export bill was voted on in Canberra, only two Members of Parliament — Adam Bandt and Andrew Wilkie — voted in favour of animals. Opposite them in the parliament, casually chatting as if they were deciding on nothing more important than what to have for lunch, sat everyone else. In stark contrast, today — not only was a bill passed in the Senate, we also know that if the government allowed all Members of Parliament a vote on this issue, then those two compassionate politicians would be joined by scores of others.

Because of you, and other caring voices across Australia, it is no longer a matter of if this trade will end, but when. We are so close that it could have been today.

Mark, will you spare one minute now to tell your MP that when it comes to animal cruelty, Australians will not be silenced?

Let’s all remind our new Prime Minister of his promise to govern for the people. An end to live sheep export is only a vote away.

For the animals,

Lyn White AM
Animals Australia

EU: How It Is ‘Enhancing Knowledge’ on Animal Welfare – or is that ‘Dismissing’ ? – EU Meat Mafia Or What !

eu crisis 2

Here we go again – the EU piling out all the words on how wonderful they are; whist the reality is they do little.

https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/welfare/strategy_en 

So ‘It focuses on enhancing knowledge among the many key agencies, organisations and individuals who are involved in the process’.  For the last 13 years we (an organisation ?) have supplied endless information – text and photographs to the EU informing them that Serbia; a ‘candidate country’ for EU membership; has not been applying its own national laws – ‘the rule of law’; with regard them enforcement of existing national legislation for the welfare of animals.

EoA June 2

bernard van goethem

See a summary of what we have been saying; and our arguments at  https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/about-serbian-animals/

shepherd

Our evidence to the EU:  Serbia – the dog who’s eyes cried pus.

The result ? – the EU has never once been in contact with us re the issue of Serbian animal welfare.

Does the very recent post by Venus – https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2018/09/08/state-and-meat-mafia-team-work/ not really sum up the situation –

“The new state minister of economic affairs, Julia Klöckner, makes a good impression at the farmer’s day. Because there, she demands something that many farmers have been longing for: animal rights activists, who secretly film in stables at night, should be punished harder.”

“By law, she wants to penalize the entry into stables. Finally, it is the duty of the veterinarians to ensure animal welfare compliance: But how well does veterinary monitoring work? How consistently are animal abusers punished in agriculture?”

“2015. Although the investigation is still ongoing, these recordings show again animals in too narrow crates, injuries.

In 2017 and 2018, Greenpeace will release these images from the plant. Refunds Advertisement, because of too narrow crates. Again, it is being investigated.

But the procedure, according to the criminal complaint of Greenpeace, has been discontinued”.

Sounds rather pathetic does it not ? – and this is Germany, the powerhouse of the EU.  So what chance of enforcement in Romania, Lithuania; Greece; Spain – and other EU member states.

The reality – Weasel words and documents from the EU that mean nothing.

Another reality – we can say with almost certainty that within the next few years Serbia will be welcomed into the EU club regardless of its application of the rule of law with its own, existing national legislation.  With the UK walking out of the EU because i8t is bummed off with its dappy legislation; the EU is fishing for new member states to come along into the ‘believe all is well with us’ club.  The EU has to show that it rules Europe come what may; enforcement of its own legislation; the rule of law; or not.

Animal rights activists being prosecuted for obtaining images and information of animal cruelty and suffering in member states; is this not an EU ‘Ag Gag’ pathway that we have witnessed over recent years in the USA ? – protect those who abuse whilst hitting the man who obtains the evidence of the cruelty ?

Something is wrong; very wrong; but as Venus says in her post; we have a stable and meat mafia teamwork; and they must not be shown to be doing anything wrongly or incorrectly.

The EU has always been known for its lack of enforcement of animal welfare offences.  And so will it continue. The mafia must remain at the helm whilst the evidence gatherers are hung from the nearest river crossing bridge.

And so it continues – the supply of evidence simply ignored by the EU – do not disrupt the mafia system that we have going and which we enforce for the EU abusers.

“Enhancing knowledge ?” .  Quite the opposite – keeping the abuses hidden from sight.  Knowledge is a dangerous thing you know.

And the EU certainly knows how to keep it safely away from the common EU man and woman.

Schwein mit Kopfschnittejpg

Eiersklaven

kuh im Transport gekalbt_n

Australia: Live Exports – Latest News From Animals Australia.

Australia

 

Hi Mark,

If a day is a long time in politics then I’m sure you’d agree that the last week has felt like a year!

There’s been a lot of media commentary overnight about Sussan Ley’s inability to progress her private member’s bill to end sheep exports, now that she is a member of executive government. I knew this would leave many of our supporters, who have been passionately lobbying their MPs to support her bill, concerned and disappointed.

The first thing I want you to know is that we are still on track to end the cruel live sheep export trade.

Here’s why:

The trade continues to unravel before our eyes…

  • It’s now been 11 weeks since a sheep ship left our shores — for the first time in the history of this trade, sheep have not suffered through the furnace of a Middle Eastern summer.

 

  • The biggest sheep exporter — Emanuel Exports — is off the water PERMANENTLY.

 

  • A tightening regulatory environment has presented a new world order for exporters that has them questioning the commercial viability of the trade at any time of year.

 

  • And very soon a review into the Department of Agriculture’s ability to properly regulate the industry will be handed down and this is expected to be damning.

live ex ship

All of these factors will lead to fewer animals being shipped and a dramatic reduction in the commercial ‘attractiveness’ of this trade. Much of this industry’s profits have been built on its ability to operate unlawfully. Those days are now gone.

While it’s disappointing that Sussan Ley and Sarah Henderson are no longer in a position to progress their private members bill, they’ve both publicly committed to continue to work within the government to obtain support for a phase out of the trade. Importantly, as you know, the ALP has committed to ending live sheep exports if elected to govern and polls are showing them clearly in front as we head towards an election.

The way forward:

In terms of next steps … the Senate bill to phase out the trade is still set to be voted on in coming months. If it passes, this will be another historic milestone in this campaign. This bill’s ability to progress further is dependent on the Morrison government, which controls the House of Representatives. As lobbying opportunities emerge, we will be sure to let you know.

The political developments of last week present a classic example as to why the key to effective campaigning is the ability to embrace developments, seize opportunities and pivot strategy at a moment’s notice. I should add to that list … resilience, and never taking your eye off the end goal!

Please rest assured that in the midst of this political upheaval, all remains well and momentum is still with us. There is as much reason to be optimistic today as there was a week ago.

As always, I am incredibly grateful to have you on this historic journey with us.

For the animals,

Lyn

Lyn White AM
Director of Strategy

Australia: Note The Date – Make This The Biggest Human Chain Against Live Exports.

Australia

human chain aus

In just six weeks, we hope to see the most people we have ever seen on Fremantle’s Stirling Bridge for our eighth annual Human Chain event.

               SUNDAY 7 OCTOBER AT 10.45 AM

Back in 2012, after the events that took place and were exposed in Indonesia in 2011, the public rallied to our second Human Chain in droves, and we had 1,200 people attend. Sadly, the numbers keep dropping as people get complacent or lose hope. Last year we had “only” 600-700 people 😦

This year we MUST make it HUGE again.

Yes – Emanuel Exports have lost their licence, and that does include their subsidiary company EMS Rural Exports, but they are appealing that decision, and their Kuwaiti shipping agent Kuwait Livestock Transport and Trading (KLTT) has applied for a licence to carry on their dirty work. We also know that the second largest exporter of live sheep, Livestock Shipping Services (LSS) is buying up sheep as I type, readying to try to send a shipment in September.

BUT WE HAVE NEVER BEEN CLOSER! And we must use this political momentum to our advantage and keep the pressure on. We have never seen any Liberal MPs speak out against the trade, now we have at least three who were ready to cross the floor to see a Bill to end the live sheep trade passed.

The Labor Party, which has always supported the trade, has committed to end at least, the live sheep trade.

Animals Australia is threatening to seek an injunction against any permits being issued to ship sheep by sea, to the Middle East during the months of May to October.

Hinch and Rhiannon have a Bill ready to go for the Senate, and the numbers suggest it WILL pass!

LET’S SHOW THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MEDIA THAT WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN.

PLEASE be at Stop Live Exports’ HUMAN CHAIN on Sunday 7 October, no later than 10.45 AM.

WEAR BLACK, and please DOWNLOAD print off and wear your “I AM A ________  STILL OPPOSED TO LIVE EXPORT” sign.

live ex ship

 

Netherlands: The Official Animal Rights March 25/8/2018 | Amsterdam.

 

Netherlands

arm1

The Official Animal Rights March 2018 | Amsterdam

August 25th  @ 12:00 – 16:00

This event is happening the world over – click on the link below to find your nearest.

UNITE FOR THE ANIMALS!

The Official Animal Rights March is an annual march founded by UK animal rights organisation Surge. The march began in London in 2016 with 2,500 vegans and in 2017 the march doubled to 5,000 vegans marching in London for animal liberation. In 2018 we want to see THOUSANDS MORE vegans taking over the streets of London and other cities, demanding an end to all animal oppression.

This will be the first time we arrange this march in Amsterdam and we need your help!

Please invite your friends, tell every vegan you meet, this is the day that we unite, where we stand up, rise up and say no more, not in our name.

The future is vegan, but we must continue to speak out on behalf of the animals until the day that their suffering ends.

All details, including the route will be published closer to the time.

Save the date, spread the word – and let’s make history for the animals.

 

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS OF ALL THE GLOBAL MARCHES.

http://www.theofficialanimalrightsmarch.com

+ Google Calendar+ Exporteren naar iCal

 

The following photo is from the London meet in 2017.

arm london

Live Animal Transport -Right or Wrong ?

Regarding our very recent post re live animals being illegally transported with the EU in extreme heat; https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2018/08/24/netherlands-summer-heat-by-margreet-eyes-on-animals-amsterdam/  – some people may argue that what we say is incorrect when we talk of regulations not being enforced by the EU.

EoA June 2

Here is the link to the EU Regulation 1/2005 of 22nd December 2004 on the ‘protection’ of animals during transport.   Here you can check out maximum transport temperatures for yourselves.  This is the ‘bible’ document that all animal transporters throughout the EU should be compliant with.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/ALL/?uri=CELEX%3A32005R0001

As we declared in our previous post, the EU is NOT enforcing its own regulations regarding the protection of animals during transport.

EOA Turkey 2

We can prove this by showing you some examples of videos made relating to live EU animals being transported to non EU Turkey.  There are graphic scenes; but this is the reality; the reality which Junker, Tusk and Van Goethem do not want you to know about.  They declare that the EU has rules as detailed in the 1/2005 links given above; so why do we raise questions  ?

 

See for yourself and decide; who is right and who is wrong ?

 

 

In the following you can see investigator Margreet –

 

Necessary to have the fortitude and conscience to end this fowl activity.

Please stay on it with your photos and devotion.

– Thanks Dawn – Regards Mark.

Netherlands: ‘Summer Heat’ By Margreet (Eyes on Animals – Amsterdam)

Netherlands

Margreet is a good personal friend to us and an excellent investigator.

Europe has been hit by huge hot weather issues for up to 7 or 8 weeks without rain.  Things have eventually changed and the past week or so has seen the rains return.

During the hot spell across Europe, animals were transported to slaughter regardless of the conditions.  Was the EU really interested in enforcing Reg 1/2005 which states that animals must not be transported above specific temperatures ? – of course not; they are much more concerned with UK Brexit bashing to punish the UK because it dare leave the almighty EU;  – dreaming up everything possible to make it hard for the UK whilst animals across the EU literally bake in the steel livestock trailers taking them to have their throats slit.

We have always had a real gripe with Bernard Van Goethem – one of the key players in animal transport issues and the man with his head in the sand who says ‘I can do nothing’ when presented with clear and obvious animal abuses to EU animals when being transported to Turkey and other such destinations.  Margreet has been deeply involved with the investigations into EU animals being hauled out to non EU Turkey.  Over the years EoA have video recorded and documented all the suffering at the Turkish / EU border – for what ? – the almighty EU to just ignore them and instead worry more about female hairdressers being allowed to wear high heeled shoes at work.

The EU is dying gradually and we really look forward to the day when it takes its final breath.  Self imposed, un elected importants named Junker and Tusk and Van Goethem who talk the talk but in reality, do very little to make the EU a better place.  They cannot even enforce their own EU legislation ! – that shows how bad they are.  But they are really good at UK bashing because it voted to get out of the happy house and go it alone.

This is just the start of the demise of the EU institution.  A no good, non enforceable system of regulations and laws which they in the Commissions hope will blindly lead the ‘normal’ EU citizen to the path of the righteous.  Things will change for the better when this fossil of jokes called the EU is thrown into the unmarked grave with lots of quicklime.

Here below is Margreets own words on a typical transport day in the EU during extreme heat.  Yet another reasons why EU member states need to take back control and stop the abuse.

Summer heat

Margreet 1

If I could write a short newsletter to describe my experience during my two-week inspections of livestock trucks at both collecting stations and slaughterhouses during the recent heatwave? I would, but to make it short and personal I found near on impossible…

Pigs, waiting in the extreme heat…outside slaughterhouses.
Pigs, with little room to find space to lie down without touching the others. This is something that as humans we do when we get too hot and want to cool down, we search for our own space, to avoid physical contact with others.
Pigs, denied access to water because, under EU regulations, water is not obligatory for transport journeys under 8 hours; even during a heatwave of 35C+. You can give water to the pigs, but  you are not legally obliged to, so no one does. While I kept drinking litres of water to remain alert and on my feet, the pigs had nothing.
Pigs, lay there panting and frothing at the mouth, all of them suffering from heat-stress.

Margreet 2

Pigs, waiting for hours on board stationary trucks in extreme temperatures before they were finally unloaded into the slaughterhouse lairage. Ironic that your relief, as a pig transported in a heatwave, is when you can finally be unloaded into the slaughterhouse…

During our inspections we documented evidence on how the Dutch “Heat Protocol for Live Animal Transport” does not work; how it is failing the animals. In that regard, it was a successful investigation, but, for me personally, it was very hard ;  extremely  hard, both physically and mentally. After two weeks of witnessing the suffering, I felt like collapsing. I was sad, angry, frustrated, in shock; a mix of strong emotions. I am, as the English poet Coleridge would say: Sadder and wiser.

Margreet 3

But I take comfort in knowing that, with Eyes on Animals, I have the chance to effectively reduce future suffering. The video footage that we took, of heat stressed pigs, was shown on a number of Dutch TV programmes, including RTL4, Omroep Brabant and Hart van Nederland. We will also be meeting with the Dutch Ministry officials and the Dutch Livestock Transport Branche in early September to discuss improvements to the Heat Protocol for Live Animal Transport. And we received some positive news from the manager of one of the slaughterhouses we inspected; he has promised to purchase large fans, to reduce the heat stress experienced by the animals whilst waiting to be unloaded.

I also take comfort with the thought that there will come a time when the rest of humankind will agree that we cannot treat animals this way.

Margreet, Senior Inspector Eyes on Animals

 

bernard van goethem

Above – EU ‘important’ Bernard van Goethem;

or to put it another way:

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From Dawn:

Heinous stupid and mean behaviour from these humans to those who don’t look like them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Australia: 22/8/18. Brilliant Breaking News. Major Exporter Emanuel Exports has had their licence PERMANENTLY CANCELLED by the regulator.

australia

 

Hi again Mark,

Today we awoke to some truly great news in our ongoing campaign to save sheep from the horror of live export.

Emanuel Exports has had their licence permanently cancelled by the regulator.

One of the world’s largest exporters of animals will no longer be able to operate.

This company (and its directors) has been responsible for shipping the majority of the 200 million sheep that have been sent to the Middle East over the past forty years. Over 1.5 million defenceless animals have died on their vessels – and through the courage and compassion of a crewman Fazal Ullah – the world now knows the egregious suffering that this company was willing to accept for decades.

My own journey with this company started shortly after joining CEO, Glenys Oogjes at Animals Australia in 2003. It is Emanuel Exports that was responsible for the Cormo Express disaster where over 5,000 sheep perished, and it was their shipment that I met in Kuwait City in November that year, on which over 1,000 sheep had died. While in Kuwait, I witnessed firsthand the brutal treatment that this company was prepared to expose millions of sheep to, for decades.

The directors of Emanuel Exports have been responsible for some of the worst mass death events in the trade and the associated suffering that we now understand so fully. In 2006 we had them found guilty of cruelty in the WA Magistrates Court. We lodged legal complaint after legal complaint against them and generated media exposé after media exposé. And this year, we took this export giant to the Federal Court on behalf of animals.

Animals Australia has battled this company for the past 15 years, and on each occasion that we revealed the suffering they were responsible for, we took them ever closer to the brink.

So today, Emanuel’s day of reckoning, has been a long time coming. It has been a David and Goliath battle throughout many years — and ‘David’ today has won. They may have had the ‘power’ and millions of dollars at their disposal. But we have been ‘armed’ by the glorious kind hearts of our generous supporters who have been prepared to back every courageous and compassionate action we have taken over those years.
Today, as we remember all of those who’ve suffered, we breathe a sigh of relief for the countless animals who will be spared a horror journey

As you well know, this is a journey that asks so much of us. It’s one that is only for the strong-hearted because the ark of justice is truly long. But I have never lost faith that justice would prevail. That’s because every day I am surrounded by the strong-hearted. People like you who share our vision and whose faith in us never wavers — and a team of resilient, committed advocates who I am so proud to call my colleagues.

The fight to end live export continues, and today we are one big step closer.

But for now, here’s to the strong-hearted. Here’s to you in heartfelt gratitude for sharing our vision for a kinder world.

For the animals,

Lyn – Animals Australia

 

Read more here –

https://www.animalsaustralia.org/media/in_the_news.php?article=6641

India! Thanks in the name of the animals!

 

India

 

Despite boom, govt bans all livestock exports from ports indefinitely

The Ministry of Shipping has decided to ban the export of livestock from all sea ports in the country for an indefinite period following representations from animal rights activists.

safe_image. Indien transporteThe export mainly comprised live sheep and goats, with the value at Rs 460.78 crore in 2015-16, Rs 519.03 crore in 2016-17 and Rs 401.64 crore in 2017-18. Express Photo

 

The Union Ministry of Shipping has decided to ban the export of livestock from all sea ports in the country for an indefinite period following representations from animal rights activists, Union Minister of State for Shipping, Mansukh Mandaviya, told The Indian Express. Continue reading “India! Thanks in the name of the animals!” →