INVESTIGATION INTO TRANSPORTS OF LIVE ANIMALS FROM ...

Police calls the official veterinary service.
Transport of lambs from Spain to Italy, 27.-28.02.2006
Findings of veterinarians and police:
Head space is insufficient on the first level of the main body of the truck. They give a warning to
the driver.
12:15
Truck continues journey to destination.
6. Arrival at destination
Date and time of arrival: unknown; remaining distance to destination Annifo is 250 km; therefore the
remaining transportation time is estimated to be 3,5 hours.
II. CONCLUSIONS
1. Deficient veterinary check at place of departure in Spain
The veterinary service (ES 23009 Barcelona) 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 number of the health certificate is not indicated on the route plan
- The itinerary is not indicated on the 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.
Furthermore it constitutes a violation of Art. 5, section A, paragraph 2, lit. b and c of
Council Directive 91/628 EEC as amended, which requires that the route plan is duly
drawn up and marked with the number of the health certificate.
1.2 Regarding insufficient head space
The insufficient head space endangered the welfare of the animals. The veterinary service at
place of departure should have prevented the transport on 4 decks.
It must be presumed that the veterinary service in Spain was either not present during loading
operations or did not pay the necessary attention. (please see points II.2 and 3).
2. Undue suffering caused
During a transport of over 24 hours (included the time of 1,5 hours of the police/veterinary check)
the lambs were prevented from standing in their natural position and from moving naturally due to
the insufficient ceiling height. Sufficient air circulation was not guaranteed. Therefore the transport
caused undue suffering to the animals.
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. Insufficient head space / Insufficient ceiling height
Numerous lambs on the fist deck of the main body of the truck touched the ceiling with their
heads, some even with their backs.
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Place and date of report: Freiburg, 03.03.2006 © Copyright Animals’ Angels e.V. ……
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