INVESTIGATION INTO TRANSPORTS OF LIVE ANIMALS FROM ...

Transport of pigs from Spain to Italy, 23. - 25.01.2006
III. OTHER ITEMS
It is a well known fact that fines for violations of animal welfare during transport legislation
issued in Italy against foreign transport companies are not paid in almost all cases. The fact that
the transport company was fined with 3.098 Euros is therefore no incentive for the transport company
to carry out legal transports in the future.
IV. WITHDRAWEL OF THE TRANSPORTER’S LICENSE
Animals’ Angels has documented several transports carried out by the Spanish transport company
Intertrans Montalban, which were in breach of existing legislation. Several lawsuits have been filed
against the company in Spain and Italy. The most alarming incident was a transport of cattle and
horses loaded on double deck in November 2004, during which 13 animals died.
Therefore in July 2005 an Animals’ Angels team talked Dr. Eduardo Torres, the chief veterinary officer
of Catalonia (Spain), the region where the transport company Intertrans Montalban is registered.
“Theoretically” he should be in the position to suspend or withdraw the transporter’s license. This
official stated, however, that there is no legal means to withdraw the license of a Spanish
transporter due to the fact that Spain did not transpose the relevant parts of the EU directive
on the protection of animals during transport. He claims to have tried to have the license
withdrawn, but did not succeed as according to the lawyers of the regional ministry of Catalonia the
relevant provisions of the European Directive 91/628/EEC are not directly applicable in Spain.
To our knowledge there is still no national Spanish legislation in force, which allows
withdrawing or suspending a transporter’s license.
Animals’ Angels therefore encourages the competent authority in Italy to temporarily prohibit the
company Intertrans Montalban from transporting animals on Italian territory. This measure is
provided in Art. 14-bis, paragraph 4 of Decreto Legislativo 532/1992 as amended by Decreto
Legislativo 388/1998 (implementation of the European Council Directive 91/628/EEC as amended by
Council Directive 95/29/EC on the protection of animals during transport).
We consider the fact that the company in the present case ignored the order given by Italian
police during the first control to be highly alarming. It proves how little the company Intertrans
Montalban respects instructions imposed by competent authorities.
Footage taken: yes
Christine Hafner
Animals’ Angels
________________________________________________________________________
Place and date of report: Freiburg, 04.03.2006 © Copyright Animals’ Angels e.V. :::::: 8