INVESTIGATION INTO TRANSPORTS OF LIVE ANIMALS FROM ...

Transport of pigs from Spain to Italy, 28.-29.01.2006
Measures taken by police:
- instruct the drivers to go to the EU staging point CE 12 PS, “La Posta” in 06060 Bettona (near
Perugia) to unload and rest the pigs for 24 hours. Police makes a reservation at the staging
point.
- instruct the drivers to fill up the water tank.
- contact the local veterinary service (A.S.L. no. 1 Imperiese); two veterinarians arrive at 11:30
and check on the animals and the vehicle.
- issue 6 fines of 3.098 Euros each (amounting to a total of 18.588 Euros) for the following
violations:
a) no bedding, floor of first deck covered with faeces/liquid
b) empty water tank
c) partly incomplete route plan, as no programmed staging point is indicated
d) defects of the ventilation system
e) no unloading after 24 hours of transport to rest the pigs
f) manure and urine were poured on the street, since truck was not equipped with a
system to collect the faeces / no equipment to check on animals on upper levels
During the police/veterinary check the driver opens the first deck and lots of manure, liquid and dirt
pours on the street.
Truck leaves police headquarters and goes in direction of the staging point near Perugia.
19:15: Arrival at the staging point “La Posta”.
167 pigs are unloaded. This number does not correspond to the route plan, nor to the health
certificate.
The majority of pigs is in good health condition. Some are very exhausted and lie down in the thick
wood chips of the stables immediately. One pig has problems with her left hind leg (the leg is of a dark
red colour); she is not able to put any weight on it and is therefore separated.
Mon., 30.01.06,
11:00: the official vet checks on the pigs and gives permission to load all of them at 19:30 tonight. The
injured pig is still limping a bit, but has clearly recovered overnight.
II. CONCLUSIONS
1. Insufficient veterinary checks at place of departure in Spain
The veterinary service (1100102 Huesca) at place of departure in Spain did not check properly on
the accompanying documents and on the transport conditions.
1.1 Regarding accompanying documents
The time of departure indicated on the health certificate (16:00 o’clock, 27.01.2006) differs
from the one indicated in the appropriate field on the route plan (21:30 o’clock, 27.01.2006).
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.
Art. 5, section A, paragraph 2, lit. c of Council Directive 91/628 EEC as amended requires that
the competent authority (in this case the certifying veterinary officer) draws up the health
certificate only after the route plan has been submitted by the transporter. Provided that this
was the case, it is not understandable, why the times of departure differed.
Furthermore the name of the certifying officer is not written – as required - in printed letters on
the health certificate, which makes is difficult to link the certificate to the certifying officer.
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Place and date of report: Freiburg, 09.03.2006 © Copyright Animals’ Angels e.V. …….
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