E-activist User v2.8

Global suffering

It is hard to imagine travelling for hours, days or weeks in extreme temperatures and cramped, filthy conditions. Every year, thousands of horses are transported from Spain to Italy, suffering unbearably during these journeys on their way to be slaughtered.

This cruelty is unnecessary – animals can be humanely slaughtered, close to home. Exports of fresh chilled and frozen meat are already far greater than the live trade, and growing.

Local failures

While the European Union (EU) has the world’s most comprehensive legislation on animal welfare during transit, enforcement is currently costly and ineffective.

Thousands of horses, pigs, sheep and cattle suffer the consequences each year.

You can take action

Together we can make a powerful call not only to improve current European welfare regulations, but to put an end to long journeys altogether.

If you agree that this suffering is unacceptable, please add your name to this letter today.

The Handle with Care coalition will deliver your signatures to the European Commissioner and President of the European Commission.

Title

First Name *

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Please keep me informed of your progress with this important initiative. *

Yes
No

José Manuel Barroso
President of the European Commission

Subject

Dear President of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso

Dear Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou

I am deeply concerned with the suffering millions of animals are forced to endure during long journeys within and between Member States only to be slaughtered at the journey's end.

The EU has more comprehensive legislation for animal welfare during transport than anywhere else in the world and the EU Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 lays out a number of important welfare measures during transport. However, no limit was put on the length of the overall journey which means that animals can travel for days before they reach the slaughterhouse. Furthermore, a large degree of variability in enforcement exists both within and between Member States of the EU, leading to persistent areas of non-compliance with legislation and diminished animal welfare - especially for those animals transported on long distance journeys.

The Handle with Care Coalition uncovered, for example, how horses transported from Spain to be slaughtered in Italy suffer unbearably during these unnecessary long journeys. The rules laid out in the EU Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 are routinely flouted on these journeys and are rarely enforced by the authorities.

Therefore, I ask for your commitment to put an end to the unnecessary suffering of millions of animals transported long distances in Europe by proposing a revision of the current Regulation to introduce short finite journey limits and by taking stronger action against those Member States that fail to enforce Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.

Yours sincerely,

World Society for the Protection of Animals is a company limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No: 04029540. Registered Office: 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TP. Registered UK Charity No: 1081849

If you have any questions or problems please contact us at:
Email: wspa@wspa.org.uk | Telephone: +44 (0)20 7587 5000