Live animal transport - R.S.P.C.A. Press Release - Today!

Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
R.S.P.C.A. News Press Release – Tuesday 30 March 2004

European live transport law at crossroad

Urgent action is required to prevent the European Union from going backwards on laws to protect transported animals even though the European Parliament today voted to impose a finite maximum journey time of nine hours for slaughter animals.

This move was welcomed by the RSPCA which has long been campaigning for short, maximum journey times for animals going for slaughter and further fattening.

The European Parliament voted today on their report to improve the current EU Directive on the protection of animals during transport. The European Commission's proposals for change, published in July 2003, failed to recommend a maximum journey time saying that animals could travel for nine hours followed by a 12-hour rest period on board vehicles – a pattern that could be repeated indefinitely. A new compromise proposal tabled by the Irish presidency last week, which is to be discussed by member states in coming weeks, is even worse.

The member states' Council of Ministers has the power to accept or reject the wishes of Parliament. If the Council rejects today's vote and accepts instead the compromise proposal by the Irish presidency, the welfare of transported animals will not have improved in nine years, says the RSPCA.

Dr Julia Wrathall, head of the RSPCA's farm animals department, said: "Accepting the Irish proposal would be a terrible, retrograde step for animal welfare. If a maximum journey time limit is not imposed, millions of farm animals will continue to be forced to endure unnecessary long journeys in cramped conditions at unacceptably high temperatures.

"We urge the Council of Ministers to take heed of Parliament's vote for short, maximum journey times and to further improve conditions for transported animals by introducing greater space allowances and reducing maximum temperatures for travelling."

The RSPCA is writing to MPs urging them to press the UK Agriculture Minister to reject the Irish proposal unless it is substantially modified to significantly improve live transport conditions.

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Originally from: Farmtalking
                        
R.S.P.C.A. News Press Release – Tuesday 30 March 2004

European live transport law at crossroad

Urgent action is required to prevent the European Union from going backwards on laws to protect transported animals even though the European Parliament today voted to impose a finite maximum journey time of nine hours for slaughter animals.

This move was welcomed by the RSPCA which has long been campaigning for short, maximum journey times for animals going for slaughter and further fattening.

The European Parliament voted today on their report to improve the current EU Directive on the protection of animals during transport. The European Commission's proposals for change, published in July 2003, failed to recommend a maximum journey time saying that animals could travel for nine hours followed by a 12-hour rest period on board vehicles – a pattern that could be repeated indefinitely. A new compromise proposal tabled by the Irish presidency last week, which is to be discussed by member states in coming weeks, is even worse.

The member states' Council of Ministers has the power to accept or reject the wishes of Parliament. If the Council rejects today's vote and accepts instead the compromise proposal by the Irish presidency, the welfare of transported animals will not have improved in nine years, says the RSPCA.

Dr Julia Wrathall, head of the RSPCA's farm animals department, said: "Accepting the Irish proposal would be a terrible, retrograde step for animal welfare. If a maximum journey time limit is not imposed, millions of farm animals will continue to be forced to endure unnecessary long journeys in cramped conditions at unacceptably high temperatures.

"We urge the Council of Ministers to take heed of Parliament's vote for short, maximum journey times and to further improve conditions for transported animals by introducing greater space allowances and reducing maximum temperatures for travelling."

The RSPCA is writing to MPs urging them to press the UK Agriculture Minister to reject the Irish proposal unless it is substantially modified to significantly improve live transport conditions.

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