Live Animal Export

Live Animal Exports

For years the UK Government and the European Union has turned a blind eye to the suffering caused by live animal exportation from the UK and also to the long distance transport of animals from the EU to the Middle East and also within the EU itself.

The export of animals from the UK to be slaughtered in other countries is only permissible due to a loophole in the EU regulations. Currently animals can be transported to another country, remain in a field in that country for a day or so and are then slaughtered as animals classified as originating from the new country.

A simple change in the regulations to redefine the origin of livestock as being the country in which it was born, rather than the country in which it had been resident for the most recent few days would be a significant move in reducing animal cruelty during periods of travel.

Conservative Animal Welfare calls upon the British Government to work towards closing this loophole and to work towards a more humane animal welfare policy within the EU.

The basis of EU policy should be that livestock should be transported as little as necessary and that all animals destined for slaughter should be slaughtered at the point of production as far as possible.

We do not accept the argument that animals should be transported live from the EU to other parts of the world in order to comply with the slaughter practices that would be illegal within the EU.

Conservative Animal Welfare is concerned at the Commission Report on the impact of Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport. This report highlights the lack of compliance with regulations throughout parts of the EU and brings to attention the extremely weak enforcement of the regulations. Urgent action is required regarding both the monitoring of animal transportation and enforcement. In this field of animal welfare the EU has failed miserably.

Roger Baker : 20th January 2012