Animal rights activists accompanied a two-day animal transport from Tyrol to southern Italy. Again they found a number of irregularities. Rest periods that are not observed and small calves that are not cared for in an age-appropriate way show once again that official controls seem to fail time and time again.
The Association against Animal Factories (VGT) has been documenting calf transports from Austria to Italy, Spain or Poland for years and has repeatedly found gross violations of EU law and animal cruelty. The Kronen Zeitung, led by animal expert Maggie Entenfellner, also fights for bans and improvements where the bans cannot be enforced. Because the fact that these transports will be completely banned is still a long way off.
“How can we do so much damage to helpless creatures? Why do we take baby animals from their mothers and transport them abroad to fatten them up there? Why do we send animals thousands of kilometers across the continent, often in appalling conditions, to kill them there,” says Entenfellner with tears in his eyes.
Way too young
The calves “Anni” and “Marie” were only four and five weeks old when they were taken from their familiar surroundings and separated from their mothers. This life phase and upbringing with mother’s milk is important so that the animals can develop their immune system properly. But they get this neither on the transport route nor in the gloomy manure halls.
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On the truck they can only drink water with electrolytes, or not at all. Often not even, because the drinking facilities for calves are unsuitable and difficult or impossible to reach. The transports, which take every hour to days, are accompanied by increasing hunger and thirst and therefore immense animal suffering. According to the EU animal transport regulation, after the maximum transport time of 19 hours, the calves must be given a break of at least 24 hours during which they must be fed and watered.
NGO reveals
However, research by animal rights activists shows that this is not always observed. Although the VGT has been exposing this incredible animal cruelty for years, the calves are still sold abroad to be fattened or slaughtered. “The vast majority of the population is in favor of a ban on the transport of calves. Another proof that politics, and especially the ÖVP, has again failed across the board,” VGT campaigner Isabell Eckl aptly analyses.
Entenfellner: “Actions are required!”
Animal expert Maggie Entenfellner from ‘Krone’ organized a successful summit on animal transport in 2020, at which the important players from politics and animal welfare sought solutions. For years she has been tirelessly committed to ending the rolling suffering. “Just talking about it is not enough – we finally expect effective use!” EU regulations on animal transport must finally be implemented consistently. Like the VGT, the ‘Krone’ expert advocates a general ban on the transport of quadrupeds that have not yet been weaned from mother’s milk.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
