Eyes on Animals inspected a large pig export station in The Netherlands where every day dozens of livestock trucks are loaded with pigs and head off to farms and slaughterhouses in Croatia, Poland, Spain, Italy, Hungary and Germany. Two veterinarians, paid by the Dutch ministry, were present. They were checking that the animals were fit for transport. When we arrived, already 6 pigs had been set aside because they were injured or sick. We were told that they would be euthanised by injection later in the day. The loading conditions of one truck was too crowded, the piglets on board had difficulty all standing up without being trampled. The loading ramp used at this facility was however positive, they built it really long so that the angle of ascent was not very steep. This made it easier for the animals to climb. The handling was done without electric prods or roughness. We will keep inspecting this important station and speak with the VWA about the acceptable loading densities.
Eyes on Animals -
16.12.2009 Inspection of a large pig export station in The Netherlands
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Markets and collecting stations
Farm animals are often sold and bought at livestock markets, or collected at stations where larger trucks come to pick them up later to transport them further. These places can be very stressful for animals, and are also unfortunately a great place for diseases to spread. Animals are brought in from many different places, unloaded from the truck, often weighed one at a time, and then rushed towards different pens where they are forced to wait for hours, sometimes without water, feed or bedding. Animals that were raised together, and even mothers and their offspring, can be separated. The animals are then reloaded onto new trucks with unfamiliar animals, which can cause fighting, and head to a new destination. Eyes on Animals regularly conducts unannounced visits of livestock markets and collecting stations in the Netherlands and Belgium. We check on conditions of the unloading equipment and pens and make sure that unfit animals are given a quiet area to rest, or if serious, immediately euthanized. We are in dialogue with the managers about providing water and bedding for the animals, milking females in lactation, and reducing any rough handling or other unnecessary causes of animal suffering.
