David Sumberg MEP
Date:
13/11/01
SAFER JOURNEYS FOR ANIMALS
North
West Tory Euro MP David Sumberg has
welcomed a European Parliament ruling approving recommendations to improve the
welfare of animals during transportation in Europe.
Mr
Sumberg said each year over 2 million animals - pigs, cattle, sheep and horses -
are transported on long journeys across the European Union and beyond. Many of
these journeys can take 50 hours or more. Lack of water, ventilation and rest
periods plus the sheer length of the journeys can cause severe dehydration, heat
exhaustion and stress.
"In
supporting these recommendations today, Conservative MEPs are demanding that
each and every EU Member State gives the same level of priority to animal
welfare issues, and ensures that existing laws are enforced.
"We
are also calling for a maximum limit of eight hours, or 500 km, on the transport
of animals to slaughter or further fattening.
And we are asking the European Commission to present a comprehensive
policy plan by 1 January 2003 to encourage more local slaughtering, closer to
market, so that lengthy journey times to slaughter can be minimised.
"The
UK track record on animal welfare is generally good: but we have allowed too
many small abattoirs to close because of over-zealous application of EU rules,
extending animal journey times rather than reducing them. A change in policy
would not just be good for animal welfare: it would help the welfare of farmers
and rural communities too."
ENDS