INVESTIGATION INTO TRANSPORTS OF LIVE ANIMALS FROM ...

Transport of horses from Spain to Italy, 27.01.2006
- The veterinary service in Spain did not verify the estimated journey time (please see
point II.3). By the fact that the veterinary service in Spain stamped a route plan, which
indicated a non realistic estimated journey time and which did consequently not indicate
the obligatory unloading at a staging point during transport, it supported a false statement
made by the transporter. The veterinary service issued, as well, a health certificate with an
unrealistic estimated journey time;
- Number of health certificate not indicated on route plan;
- Itinerary not indicated on route plan;
- Name of person responsible during transport not indicated on route plan;
- Place of departure not indicated on route plan.
This constitutes a violation of Council Directive 96/93/EC on the certification of animals
and animal products. The competent Spanish authority did not take all necessary steps
to ensure the integrity of certification as required in Art. 4 of Council Directive 96/93/EC.
The irregularities found on the route plan also constitute a violation of Art. 5, section A,
paragraph 2, lit. b, c and lit. d, (i) first indent of Council Directive 91/628 EEC as
amended by Council Directive 95/29 EC.
1.2 Regarding exceeded loading density
It must be presumed that the veterinary service in Spain was either not present during loading
operations or did not pay the necessary attention to the loading density. (please see point
II.5).
2. Undue suffering caused
The transporter transported the horses in a way, which caused them undue suffering as
- the truck was overloaded by at least 4 horses
- the maximum permitted journey time was exceeded.
This represents a violation of Art. 5, section A, number 1, lit. b of Council Directive 91/628
EEC as amended by Council Directive 95/29 EC.
3. Obligatory unloading at staging point not planned - Route plan not duly drawn up regarding
journey times and rest periods
It was not programmed to unload and rest the horses for at least 24 hours at an authorized staging
point after a maximum of 24 hours of transport. The indicated estimated journey time of 23 hours
is entirely unrealistic for a transport of 2.565 km. At the maximum permitted speed of 80 km/h the
journey time would be 32 hours. The time for stops during transport must be added to this. A
realistic journey time for this distance (under normal circumstances, without delays due to a
blocked highway as in this case) is therefore approx. 40 hours.
This constitutes a violation of Art. 5, section A, paragraph 2, lit. b and lit. d, first indent of
Council Directive 91/628 EEC as amended by Council Directive 95/29 EC, as well as a
violation of Art. 3, paragraph 1, lit. aa, second indent of Council Directive 91/628 EEC as
amended by Council Directive 95/29 EC in connection with Chapter VII, point 4, lit. c and
Chapter VII, point 5 of the Annex.
4. Exceeded maximum journey time
It is required that horses be unloaded after a maximum journey time of 24 hours to be rested, fed
and watered for at least 24 hours before continuing journey. When the Animals’ Angels team
observed the truck on 27.01.06 at 16:00 the horses had already been on board for 29 hours.
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Place and date of report: Freiburg, 13.02.2006 © Copyright Animals’ Angels e.V. ........
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