Posted on September 12, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
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Dear Mark,
A lot has happened this week with McDonald’s—one of the largest fast-food chains in the world—and thanks to your support, MFA has been at the forefront of these developments.
On Wednesday, McDonald’s publicly announced its commitment to going 100 percent cage-free for its U.S. and Canadian egg supply chains. This landmark change will spare nearly 8 million birds each year from a life crammed in cages so small they can’t freely walk, spread their wings, nest, or engage in other basic natural behaviors. While cage-free doesn’t mean cruelty-free, it represents progress.
This major shift didn’t happen on its own. For years, MFA and other organizations have campaigned to make this day a reality. Over the years, MFA has conducted investigations at multiple McDonald’s egg suppliers in both the U.S. and Canada, documenting the horrific animal cruelty and severe neglect inherent in confining birds in barren cages. Our hidden cameras exposed birds suffering from open wounds, carcasses left to rot in cages, and other sickening findings.
MFA’s campaign to convince McDonald’s to stop confining egg-laying hens in cages included more than 200,000 consumer signatures on our online petitions and the support of animal-friendly celebrities, including Ryan Gosling, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Deschanel, and Alicia Silverstone.
With its cage-free egg announcement, McDonald’s has demonstrated not only that it’s able to drive important change for animals, but also that it’s listening to consumers’ growing concern about the treatment of animals used for food.
While we celebrate McDonald’s progress in reducing the suffering endured by egg-laying hens, there is still work to be done. Now is the time for the fast-food giant to take meaningful steps to also reduce the cruelty endured by the birds killed for its Chicken McNuggets.
MFA is calling on McDonald’s to swiftly adopt meaningful animal welfare policies to end many of the worst forms of cruelty to “broiler” chickens—those raised and killed for meat. Specifically, MFA is calling on McDonald’s to end selective breeding of birds for rapid growth and to shift to slower-growing breeds of birds to prevent health problems related to accelerated growth; provide birds with more space, clean litter, access to natural light, and environmental enrichments; and replace live-shackle slaughter methods with less cruel systems.
With your support, we can make this happen, further reducing the suffering experienced by millions of birds each year.
Here is what you can do:
It’s never been clearer that the days of cruel factory farms are numbered. But we must continue to push forward to ensure their final day arrives.
Sincerely,
Nathan Runkle
President
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, GLOBAL PETITIONS - Anything Animal, Anywhere ! | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 11, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Dear friends, I need your support yet again.
The officials from Serbian town Bac have served a final notice for the owner of the private shelter LESI to evacuate the premisses and get rid of all of her stray animals 100 in total. The date for her court is 24th September!
Milica is desperate and has nowhere to take them to safety – the only possibility is the street again (where they are only going to be caught again and put into city pounds, and we all know their destiny then!)
Please could you at least send your protest messages to these addresses below hoping that they will realise that the other organisations are watching their actions.
Milica was given all instructions from the city officials what she needs to do in order to keep her shelter, which she obliged to, but now they are saying that it is not right and she must close it as it is too close to the neighbours!
I am so sure that by now you know how “good” serbian officilas are at following the AWL and that they only follow the rules when they want to.
Milica will go to court to fight against their decission but she needs our support so that they can see that she is not alone.
Thank you again!
Kind regards,
Vesna S.
Please send your letters of protest to the following addresses :
SAV Comment – we feel it is important that we send an international message about this to the Serbian authorities who do so wrong; let them know the world is watching them. Please add your nationality and location to anything you send.
Dear all
EPAR filed a criminal complaint against persons of municipal administration Bac and against JKP Komunalac, Kula. They act together : opposite to law demands and they together do crimes to animals and to public money . We will see what like will be action of Public Attorney of Novi Sad.
We will also send copy of our complaint to the judge who will lead Milicaş case.
Kind regards
Slavica
We are hoping that together we can make the realise that they cannot carry on with breaking the law!
Filed under: Animals Requiring Adoption or Homes - Worldwide, CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, LETTERS, SERBIA (Central Serbia: Capital - Belgrade) and (Serbia, SHELTER - Information, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 8, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
We are currently producing very little on this site.
For the last 11 years we have campaigned to improve the welfare of Serbian animals; mainly strays; urging the Serbian government to adopt a policy of ‘no kill’ sterilisation to reduce numbers over time. The government have ignored our every wish and suggestion, as they have with that of many other international animal organisations; including those from Germany and Austria.
You get to a point when you ask yourself if there is any real reason to continue with a campaign which has been ignored by the government for the last 11 years plus.
We have now reached that point.
In recent years we have seen many excellent German organisations – those who have undertaken sterilisations and treatment; pack up and get out of the country; betrayed by a pathetic government which still kills animals which have been sterilised and fitted with red button ear tags to say the same. Organisations have put time and money into making an effort to reduce stray numbers. Thanks to the thickheads in the Serbian government; all these efforts have been in vain; the killing continues; and despite some very good laws for animals in Serbia; nothing is complied with legally to enforce the ‘rule of law’.
Showing that you are applying ‘the rule of law’ is a fundamental requirement of any new state wishing to become a member of the EU. As you can see from many posts on this site, we have written to, and made contact with the EU Enlargement Commission on several occasions asking them to get Serbia to enforce its own rules of law if it ever wishes to become an EU member state. The EU Enlargement Commission Has not acted for us or with us – it has ignored us in its feeble attempts to get Serbia into the EU come what may. We feel betrayed by both the Serbian government and the EU Enlargement Commission; both full of self important’s who in reality are not listening to the people on the ground but are simply doing their own thing regardless of what the rules and regulations say.
We are now questioning if we should join with the German organisations of the past and simply get out to leave the thickheads in the Serbian government and the EU to wander on ignoring their own allegedly so important ‘rules of law’. This is a sad situation, but we ask why we should try to get governments to enforce the rules of law when nobody else, including the EU Commission, turns a blind eye to what is happening – ignoring all the evidence we present to them.
It is the same with the EU and the issue of live animals being shipped to Turkey, Israel and Gaza from the EU. We have often shown the flag of ‘the EU Must Ensure Animal Welfare’. Make no doubt, by allowing live animals to be shipped under such long and terrible conditions; the EU is DOING NOTHING to ensure that animal welfare is being enforced. People called ‘Members of the European Parliament’ (MEP’s) should be constantly taking action to ensure that animal welfare legislation is enforced throughout the EU. They are failing, and they are failing dramatically ! – over a week and a half ago we wrote to many UK MEP’s regarding live animals being shipped from Lithuania to Israel; and calves being shipped from France to Turkey. None of those contacted have even bothered to respond to us on the issue – so what exactly are the doing ? – these so called representatives of the EU people who were elected by the people of the EU ?
If they cannot even respond over the issue of live animals from the EU being transported to non EU nations; then it is obvious that they are not interested in animal welfare in future EU accession states such as Serbia.
So this week we are now considering our future. What is the point of giving endless evidence to Serbian and EU authorities when they simply ignore you and basically carry on in their world of self appreciation and very little else ? – MEP’s are not and do not represent the wishes of the EU citizen – they do not ensure that EU regulations are enforced within the EU; and so you get to a point when you have to ask why we are contributing to the keep of such people ! – they certainly do not represent us and they certainly do not listen and look at the evidence we present to them. As a good investigator friend from the Netherlands said this last weekend; why does the EU allow the wrongs to continue in long distance animal transport until people like us have to come up with the proof of the wrongdoing ! – governments and EU authorities should be investigating in advance and taking actions when necessary to stop the wrongdoings; not waiting until welfare groups have to come forward and show that the rules are being broken !
By next weekend we will probably have decided on the future of us and this site. Who knows; MEP’s may even break the habit of a lifetime and actually get in contact with us about live calves being shipped from France to Turkey; but then ……………..
Is 11 years of no progress in Serbia worth it ? – NO.
Is the EU and its ‘self important’s worth it ? – not if they continue to ignore the people they should be representing – US – EU citizens !
Do we simply say that we have tried and failed, thanks to a mass of no support from the Serbian government and the EU ? – probably yes.
Will our actions help Serbian animals ? – no; but then there are supposed to be laws in place in Serbia to make sure things are undertaken correctly; and the EU should; yes the EU, should be ensuring this happens before Serbia becomes a member state.
Do you hold your hands up and say to yourself that with such incompetents doing nothing to help your cause; there will never be any progress ? – probably.
What would you do in our position of Serbia and the EU utterly ignoring your evidence and proposals for reform ? – walk away !
We may do just that!
Do you want to hear a joke ?
Ask the calves going from France to Turkey; the calves going from Lithuania to Gaza, and the dogs being killed under the ‘rule of law’ by the EU in Serbia. We dont think they would shout that the EU is enforcing any animal welfare !
There has been just one MEP; Mr Keith Taylor (Greens) who has helped and supported us. We thank him for that. But the support of just one MEP is not enough; and constantly hearing nothing from the EU Enlargement Commission really shows how importantly they actually consider their basic principles of new accession states making sure they enforce the rule of law.
By the end of 2017 the UK is supposed to have a referendum on staying in or leaving the EU. At present, polls show more support for getting out of Europe – we wonder why !!!
Above: Livestock transporters full of EU animals on the EU – Turkish border – waiting several days to clear customs. Then what awaits them ? – ritual slaughter in a Turkish slaughterhouse.
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, LETTERS, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 4, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
A couple of our recent posts associated with the very same issue:
and from our good friends at ‘Eyes on Animals’ in the Netherlands:
Photos – EoA Netherlands.
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, DOCUMENTS, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, PHOTOGRAPHS - **WARNING** (Animal Suffering) | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 4, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
28 August 2015
IEC conference: Avian influenza and welfare
Egg industry leaders came together at the International Egg Commission conference in Lisbon at a time of crisis. A global threat called avian influenza was foremost on everyone’s mind. That, and the ongoing animal welfare discussion around beak-trimming and male layer chicks, were the main focuses of the meeting.
Author/Organization: World Poultry
Year: 2015
Topics: animal health, eggs production, laying hens, welfare on the farm
28 August 2015
Sherrie Webb Named Animal Agriculture Alliance Chairperson
The Animal Agriculture Alliance Board of Directors recently elected Sherrie Webb, director of animal welfare for the National Pork Board (NPB), as chairperson of its board of directors.
Author/Organization: The Cattle Site
Year: 2015
Where: United States of America
Topics: animal welfare/general concepts, welfare on the farm
28 August 2015
Animal Production and Health Division e-newsletter 122
Contents: 1) Hardy cattle boost Zimbabwe farmers’ incomes. 2) Worries rise over outbreaks of avian flu in West Africa. 3) FAO boosts capacity of the Ugandan government to fight Foot-and-Mouth disease. 4) FAO ECTAD Indonesia: a fun way to exchange messages with farmers at the Indolivestock Expo. 5) FAO projects win prizes at EXPO 2015. 6) Mobilizing the Data Revolution: evidence from Eastern Africa. 7) Realizing ‘Uganda Vision 2040’ through livestock. 8) Realizing ‘Tanzania Vision 2025’ through livestock. 9) Maintaining Global Freedom from Rinderpest. 10) FAO China ECTAD Highlights. 11) FAO project: “Una salud” – Rabia Bovina.
Author/Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Year: 2015
Topics: animal health, cattle, disease control, livestock, poultry/chickens, productivity
27 August 2015
Canada Supports Safe Transportation of Livestock and Poultry
Canada has given a grant of $183,929 to the Canadian Animal Health Coalition (CAHC) to help ensure that livestock and poultry are transported in a safe and humane manner by certified transporters.
Author/Organization: The Cattle Site
Year: 2015
Where: Canada
Topics: livestock, poultry/chickens, transport, welfare during transport
27 August 2015
Is Animal Welfare Becoming a Commercial Issue?
Large multinational processing companies, retailers and foodservice organisations are starting to define the way that producers view animal welfare and ethical, sustainable production.
Author/Organization: The Cattle Site
Year: 2015
Topics: animal production, ethics, farming, retailers, standards, welfare on the farm
27 August 2015
Over 12,000 Dairy Cows to Benefit from Welfare Awards
Compassion in World Farming celebrated the commitment of leading food businesses to improve animal welfare standards at their Good Farm Animal Welfare Awards held at the Milan Expo on 9 June, hosted by chef, writer and broadcaster, Allegra McEvedy MBE.
Author/Organization: The Cattle Site
Year: 2015
Where: Italy
Topics: dairy cattle, dairy production, standards, welfare on the farm
27 August 2015
Improving Pig Welfare: Addressing Tail Docking
In pigs, an intact, curly tail may well be the most important animal-based welfare indicator, says the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). It stands for both high quality management and respect for the integrity of the pig. It is obvious that a farmer who gets his pigs through to slaughter without tail docking or signs of tail biting must be managing a very good system. What is unfortunate, though, is that management of this quality is a rare occurrence, writes Melanie Epp from the 2015 International Conference on Pig Welfare, Denmark.
Author/Organization: The Pig Site
Year: 2015
Topics: genetic , pain/injury/harm, pigs, training, welfare assessment, welfare on the farm
27 August 2015
Reducing Threat of Mastitis and Antibiotic Use
The blanket use of antibiotics in dry cow management to prevent mastitis and other udder problems has been common for many years.
Author/Organization: The Cattle Site
Year: 2015
Topics: animal health, cattle, dairy cattle, dairy production, disease control, food safety, husbandry procedures, livestock, socio-economical aspects, veterinary drugs, welfare on the farm
26 August 2015
Survey Finds Animal Welfare Tops Consumers’ Ethical Concerns
Three quarters of consumers in the UK put animal welfare at the top of the list when it comes to ethical issues for food companies.
Author/Organization: The Cattle Site
Year: 2015
Where: United Kingdom
Topics: dairy production, eggs production, ethics, meat production, welfare on the farm
26 August 2015
How to Replace, Reduce and Refine Antibiotics On Farm
Pressure is mounting on the animal health industry to reduce, replace and refine the usage of certain antimicrobial medicines, writes Michael Priestley.
Author/Organization: The Cattle Site
Year: 2015
Topics: animal health, animal production, disease control, human health, livestock, water buffaloes, welfare on the farm
26 August 2015
Preventing Lameness to Increase Profitability
Lameness in the dairy herd is not only a significant welfare problem but can also create a significant financial loss to the farmer.
Author/Organization: The Cattle Site
Year: 2015
Where: United Kingdom
Topics: animal health, cattle, dairy cattle, dairy production, disease control, housing, welfare on the farm
25 August 2015
Animal Welfare Amendment Bill Passes Final Reading
New Zealand’s Animal Welfare Amendment Bill received unanimous support during its third and final reading in Parliament this week.
Author/Organization: The Pig Site
Year: 2015
Where: New Zealand
Topics: animal welfare/general concepts
25 August 2015
Germany Focuses on Farm Animal Welfare
The German agriculture department has launched a new initiative to make animal welfare a high priority.
Author/Organization: The Cattle Site
Year: 2015
Where: Germany
Topics: animal welfare/general concepts
25 August 2015
Federal Legislation Introduced to Prohibit Slaughter of American Horses
Federal lawmakers introduced legislation to prevent the establishment of horse slaughter operations within the US, end the current export of American horses for slaughter abroad, and protect the public from consuming toxic horse meat.
Author/Organization: Animal Welfare Institute (AWI)
Year: 2015
Where: United States of America
Topics: food safety, horses, importing/exporting, legislation, meat production
25 August 2015
Animal Voice Online Magazine, September 2015
Table of Contents: 1) The University of Stellenbosch shines a light on the way forward for the animals. 2) The Democratic Alliance makes a ground-breaking stand on animal sentience. 3) South Africa’s Rosie Kunneke is arrested for throwing herself between a pod of pilot whales and their killers. 4) Ships of Shame and Insanity – an expose of the heart-breaking trade from East London to Mauritius. 5) South Africa’s Nikki Botha helps bring about a ban on animal sacrifice at Nepal festival. 6) Cape Town man shares his experience of “perhaps the toughest job in the world”. 7) Sixteen Cape Town high schools debate whether battery farming of laying hens should be banned. 8) Countdown to the end of stalls for breeding sows… 16 months until ban deadline.
Author/Organization: Compassion in World Farming (South Africa)
Year: 2015
Where: South Africa
Topics: animal welfare/general concepts
25 August 2015
Africa Network for Animal Welfare Newsletter, August 2015
This issue at a glance: 1) Vaccination in Naivasha and Voi; 2) Judicial Dialogue; 3) Naivasha Desnaring and rescue; 4) Desnaring; 5) Desnaring.
Author/Organization: Africa Network for Animal Welfare (ANAW)
Year: 2015
Topics: animal health, animal welfare/general concepts, dog population management, public health.
25 August 2015
Transport of Calves from France via Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria to Turkey, 04th – 10th July 2015
From 04th of July to 10th July Animals’ Angels observed three transports carrying calves from France to Turkey, via Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, exiting the Border Inspection Point at Kapitan Andreevo.
According to the information received, the animals were loaded at FRAYSSINHES, FRANCE and destined for KAHRAMANMARAS, TURKEY which means a journey of around 4.500 km.
Taking into account the extreme length of this road transport and the importance of the checks at the Border Inspection Posts, all parties involved should have used their maximum attention to verify the compliance of these transports with Council Regulation No. 1/2005. On the contrary, the competent authorities did not check thoroughly the three transports as provided by article 21 and calves travelled for 7 days staying in the truck, in their own excrements, with diseases not treated, without food and without access to water, without sufficient space to move, in the heat of the summer, waiting long times at the Turkish customs and without appropriate rest.
From the journey log it was already clear that the planning was unrealistic and the part of the journey in Turkey did not take into consideration the enforcement of the Regulation 1/2005, as the Court of Justice recently confirmed in its sentence No. C-424/13.
Author/Organization: Animals’ Angels (AA) and Asociación Nacional para la Defensa de los Animales (ANDA, Spain)
Year: 2015
Where: France, Turkey
Topics: animal stress/discomfort/distress, calves, importing/exporting, inspection and control , legislation, transport
Read more on this at:
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, DOCUMENTS, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, The "Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) ALLIANCE | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 3, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
Dear all,
It is very good news. Normally when animals exit the EU territory they are transported for hours and hours, even days, without being unloaded and rested after 29hrs and often with no water breaks.
At least now, when EU animals exit the EU territory, like to Turkey, we can demand legal action when animals are not given these EU minimums. As well, we can stop transports planning on going very far into third countries, when that country does not have official control posts.
Although the EU norms may not be as ideal as we want, they sure are a lot better than any other country.
This judgement is really helping us influencing and even stopping some consignments heading to Turkey. Conditions there were horrible for EU animals, now we have some extra support.
The same can be done for all the EU animals sent to Russia, Kazachstan and soon the borders will be open to go further into the Middle East by road, like Irak.
Hope everyone is well, With best regards,
Lesley
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Link
Court of Justice of the European Union PRESS RELEASE
No 43/15 Luxembourg, 23 April 2015 Judgment in Case C-424/13 Zuchtvieh-Export GmbH v Stadt Kempten
Protection for animals under EU law does not stop at the outer borders of the EU The requirements relating to watering and feeding intervals and duration of journeys and resting periods also apply to those stages of the transport taking place outside the EU
Under the EU treaties, since animals are sentient beings, the EU and the Member States are to pay full regard to the welfare requirements of animals. To that end, the EU legislature has laid down detailed provisions in a regulation governing the protection of animals during transport.
1 That regulation is on the principle that animals must not be transported in a way likely to cause injury or undue suffering to them and on the consideration that, for reasons of animal welfare, the transport of animals over long journeys should be limited as far as possible. A German Court, the Bayerischer Verwaltungsgerichtshof (Administrative Court, Bavaria)
2 has referred a question asking whether the requirements pertaining to the journey log and the powers conferred on the competent authority of the place of departure enabling it to require changes in certain circumstances also apply, in the case of transport between Member States and third countries, to those stages of the journey taking place outside the EU.
By today’s judgment, the Court of Justice answers that question in the affirmative.
Thus, in order for a transport operation involving a long journey for horses, cattle, pigs, sheep or goats
3 to be authorised by the competent authority of the place of departure, the organiser of the journey must submit a realistic journey log which indicates that the provisions of the regulation will be complied with, including for the stages of the journey taking place outside the EU. The planned journey as stated in the journey log must show that the planned transport will observe, inter alia, the technical rules on watering and feeding intervals and journey times and resting periods.
4 Should the journey log not satisfy those requirements, the authority is empowered to require changes to those arrangements. The regulation does not subject the transport of animals with a point of departure within the territory of the EU and a destination in a third country to any particular approval scheme, different from that applicable to transport taking place within the EU. The organiser of a long journey must 1 Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations and amending Directives 64/432/EEC and 93/119/EC and Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 (OJ 2005, L 3, p. 1, and corrigendum OJ 2011, L 336, p. 86). 2 The Bayerischer Verwaltungsgerichtshof is hearing a case involving the German undertaking Zuchtvieh-Export GmbH and the municipality of Kempten (Germany) regarding the decision taken by latter, as the competent authority of the place of departure, to refuse clearance for a consignment of cattle to be transported by road from Kempten to Andijan (Uzbekistan) and to require changes to the transport plans. The municipality of Kempten took the view that the journey log for the 7 000 km journey (via Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan) did not comply with the requirements under the regulation because it did not provide for any resting or transfer points for the stages of the journey which were expected to take approximately 146 hours on the territory of third countries between the cities of Brest (Belarus) and Karaganda (Kazakhstan). 3 More specifically, the animals concerned are domestic Equidae other than registered Equidae, and domestic animals of bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine species. 4 Thus, as far as cattle are concerned, subject to certain conditions, long journeys by road must include, after 14 hours of travel, a rest period of at least one hour during which they must be given liquid and if necessary fed, after which they may be transported for a further period of up to 14 hours, at the end of which animals must be unloaded, fed, watered and be rested for at least 24 hours. http://www.curia.europa.eu provide the competent authority of the place of departure with a duly completed copy of section 1 (Planning) of the journey log. The information contained in that section, concerning matters such as scheduled resting, transfer or exit points must cover the entire planned transport operation, from the place of departure to the place of destination.
Thus, in the case of a long journey with a destination in a third country, the journey log must contain the necessary information on watering and feeding intervals and journey times and resting periods both for the stages of the journey taking place in the territory of the EU and in the territory of third countries. The Court considers that, in the check to be carried out prior to the journey, the competent authority has a certain margin of discretion allowing it to take due account of the uncertainties involved in a long journey, part of which is to take place in the territory of third countries. Should it be the case that the law or administrative practice of a third country through which the transport will transit verifiably and definitely precludes full compliance with the technical rules of the regulation, the margin of discretion conferred on the competent authority of the place of departure empowers it to accept realistic planning for transport which, in the light of factors such as the means of transport used and the journey arrangements made, indicates that the planned transport will safeguard the welfare of the animals at a level equivalent to those technical rules. In any event, the authority may require, among other things, changes to the arrangements for the intended transport in order to ensure that it will pass by enough resting and transfer points to indicate that the transport will comply with the requirements as to watering and feeding intervals and journey times and resting periods. NOTE: A reference for a preliminary ruling allows the courts and tribunals of the Member States, in disputes which have been brought before them, to refer questions to the Court of Justice about the interpretation of European Union law or the validity of a European Union act. The Court of Justice does not decide the dispute itself. It is for the national court or tribunal to dispose of the case in accordance with the Court’s decision, which is similarly binding on other national courts or tribunals before which a similar issue is raised. Unofficial document for media use, not binding on the Court of Justice.
The full text of the judgment is published on the CURIA website on the day of delivery. (+352) 4303 3355(Press contact: Christopher Fretwell
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Our recent SAV post link regarding EU animals being exported to non EU nations:
Filed under: CAMPAIGNS - Global Animal Welfare Issues, DOCUMENTS, GENERAL NEWS - International / National / Regional, LETTERS | Leave a comment »
Posted on August 31, 2015 by Serbian Animals Voice (SAV)
One of my pictures of calves being exported from the UK in the past. Note lower rear animals sucking the trailer bars; the need for milk ! – is this not what we hear from the CIWF investigations team today in Israel and Gaza ? – please click on the photo to be able to enlarge and see more detail.
Fortunately no longer the process, but the old method – a (UK ?) calf restrained in a Dutch veal crate.
Their statement says:
Strasbourg – At today’s meeting of the Intergroup on the Conservation and Welfare of Animals, Members of the European Parliament heard about the consistent failure of member states to enforce Regulation EC 1/2005 which causes millions of animals every year to suffer unnecessarily during transport. This is compounded further with the export of live animals to the Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
Intergroup President, Janusz Wojciechowski MEP who chaired the meeting suggested: “Despite legislation governing live animal transport being in place for ten years we are still seeing animals undertaking extremely long journeys without any respect for their welfare and the Commission has a duty to pursue Member States that continually flout this legislation and cause immense suffering as a consequence.”
The invited speakers spoke about the failure to enforce regulation EC 1/2005 and the consequences this has for animal welfare. They also raised the issue that animal suffering is being exported to third countries especially at the time of slaughter and this is totally unacceptable.
Peter Stevenson, Chief Policy Advisor at Compassion in World Farming stated that; “The EU exports two million cattle and sheep a year to the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. These animals experience great suffering at slaughter in this region. Not only is the slaughter cruel but it is in breach of the international standards on welfare at slaughter of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).”
He added: “We have informed the Commission and the exporting Member States of this problem but they refuse to halt the trade or to take effective steps to ensure that EU animals are slaughtered in accordance with the OIE standards. This trade is in breach of Article 13 of TFEU which requires the EU to ‘pay full regard’ to animal welfare. Compassion in World Farming calls on the EU to urgently halt this trade.”
Dr Alexander Rabitsch presenting the findings of his latest report stated: “The European Commission is turning a blind eye to the issue of live animal transport. It is essential that the Commission acts today to ensure that the serious shortcomings witnessed on a daily basis across the EU are addressed immediately and that Member States are brought to task to ensure the highest levels of animal welfare are respected at all times on all transports.”
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Our Action –
Today; 31st August 2015, I have written to all of my EU Members of Parliament for my region – the South East of England.
My letter mainly involves the very recent expose by Compassion In World Farming (CIWF); also based here in England – http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=41392&ea.tracking.id=05bb9ddb and the issue of very young calves being exported for slaughter from locations such as Lithuania and Romania (in the EU) to Israel and Gaza (non EU).
Journeys of over 2,600 miles; with the guarantee that they will end in a terrible death for these very young and innocent, sentient animals.
Basically, the EU; complete with its so called ‘regulations’ and its so called ‘politicians’ make me just want to vomit. I and many others; including Philip, the CEO at CIWF, have personally been involved with live calf export investigations and campaigning for around 25 years. See more at https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/about-us/ We have witnessed British calves being exported live to the Netherlands by a British Conservative government (like we have now under David Cameron) for incarceration into a veal crate system; while they have had the audacity to tell the UK public that they have banned the veal crate in the UK !. What is their way of dealing with the issue ? –export British calves to other countries to be shut in a box until their deaths ! – this is what makes me sick with politicians and their yukspeak, Party led spin to assure us all that we can sleep safe at night.
In the past, I have witnessed tens of thousands of UK calves heading for crates of the Netherlands; I have followed them on the roads; I have produced a series of reports about it all for the EU, I have photographed them (see picture here), I have smelt them; and most upsettingly, I have heard them crammed onto the trucks; their only wish to be fed fresh milk from their mothers who they were wrenched away from days before; never to see again.
As I say, it makes me want to puke now just as much as it did when I first encountered it 25+ years ago.
So this letter to my MEP’s does not praise them; quite the opposite. It is people such as this who are failing the good, caring citizens of the EU who want change for animal welfare to be better; and most importantly, they are failing the animals of Europe who remain silent but want them to be their voice.
I don’t really know what else to say apart from the fact that the EU and all its cronies; including its many MEP’s; are in reality doing nothing to improve animal welfare. They speak the EU speak, have committees for this and that; an EU animal welfare Intergroup / Eurogroup; and still we see very young (EU) calves being shipped from Lithuania to Israel and Gaza for terrifying deaths. If animals have to be slaughtered; then it should take place as near to their point of origin as possible; greatly reducing their stresses during long transport and the terrible deaths they experience in nations such as Turkey and Gaza. You export locally killed meat on the hook; NOT on the hoof !
I can understand it; campaigners can understand it; I think you can understand it; so why not the self important’s of the EU ? – this is where the EU fails its citizens. It lives in a rose colored bubble of everything is ok; there are guarantees, regulations and assurances that things are always dealt with correctly; so hey; what are we griping about ?. Wrong Mr and Mrs MEP – you are failing the people and animals of Europe. Calves being exported and your false promises of alleged EU enforcement and EU regulations for animals undergoing long distance transport are something I have had to endure from the EU for the last 25 years. Today the animals are no better off than they were then thanks to the EU.
I am sick to death of these people and their ‘yukspeak’ of legislation and rules – some kind of EU ‘fairyland’ where politicians think they can bullshit citizens off with their false verbals of ‘high standards’, monitored’ and spared unnecessary suffering’, to name but a few !. They are failing the calves and other animals of Europe. Please write to them and show them your disgust for their blemished approach to sentient beings. Lots more details of how to write to your MEP(s) can be found in the ‘European Union’ section of ‘About Us’ on this site – https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/about-us/ . The campaigning goes on until the EU does see sense and actually moves to better things – I have covered veal calf exports for 25 years so another 25 does not deter me – It is not me who has to worry; but as for the Uk and the EU, well !
Please write to be a voice for the suffering calves; and politicians – wake up to the real world !!
Thanks – Mark.
Above – Veal Calf Crated – Photo CIWF.
Below is my letter to the EU MEP’s for SE England. If they respond then the responses will be reproduced on this site.
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Dear Sir / Madam;
I am writing with regard the export of live animals from within the EU to non EU nations.
A recent investigation by CIWF (England) showed very young Lithuanian calves being first sent by road to the port of Koper in Slovenia. A distance of approximately 1030 miles. Many of them were to weak to stand, but they were still loaded at the point of origin for departure to Koper.
Upon arrival at Koper they then had to endure a further sea journey of approximately 1600 hundred miles to Haifa port in Israel. Other calves which have also been sent to Israel from other EU nations such as Romania, first endured a road journey to Midia port (Romania) of some 690 miles; then enduring a further sea journey of 1530 miles, again to Haifa in Israel.
Many of these young animals were highly stressed by the time they reached their export port within the EU. As they endured such poor conditions during their loading, it is not uncommon for many of them to die during the journey.
For those that do survive the terrible sea crossing toIsrael, conditions upon their arrival are no better. At many facilities filmed by CIWF in Israel, there was no bedding on the floor for the animals and in many cases they were left to lick bare concrete floors in their pitiful search for food after enduring such a journey. These facilities are known as ‘lock up and leave’; where just this procedure is undertaken; animals are left to fend for their own survival before they are slaughtered.
Eventually some of the animals will go to Israeli slaughterhouses; where they will face inhumane slaughter without stunning. Others will be driven further across the border into Gaza for even more terrifying and painful deaths.
A recent European Court of Justice ruling said that EU laws on animal transport still apply when animals leave Europe. The very sad situation is that there is absolutely no enforcement of animal transport regulations to stop exporters from breaking the law.
Thus you, elected MEP’s, the people that EU citizens are allegedly supposed to look up to HAVE dramatically FAILED the animals of Europe seriously. So why should we have any respect for you ? You have failed dismally in your work to ensure that regulations are adhered to.
The situation is no different for EU animals being shipped to Turkey for slaughter. My friend Lesley is the founder of Eyes on Animals in the Netherlands – http://www.eyesonanimals.com/ . She has just returned from one of her many visits to the EU / Turkish border, where she witnessed EU cattle transporters standing in extreme temperatures for many days to cross the border. Lesley says – Our inspection team has just come back from Turkey, where we checked on cattle transports at the Bulgarian border. We came back upset, disappointed and angry. Not a lot has changed compared to five years ago. We did accomplish a few things, but still everyday dozens of cattle transports are waiting for hours and sometimes even days, in the burning sun, to be allowed into Turkey.
Working personally in the EU aerospace industry involved with ‘Tornado’ aircraft for some 24 years https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/about-us/ , I have always been a pro-EU person. Unfortunately now; with the failures of animal welfare regulations right across the EU, I am in a position where at the referendum promised for the UK citizens by David Cameron; I will be voting for the UK to get out of Europe.
You may tell me that this will not help the animals of the EU – I reply by asking what actual help are you and your so-called ‘Parliament’ rule makers when we are currently witnessing the vast suffering of young calves being shipped all the way from Lithuania to Israel ? – the EU is failing the animals and animal welfare big time; and I personally hold people like you responsible for not enforcing the so called regulations that exist – 1/2005 et all on the transport of live animals.
Also, lets take the situation for stray animals in Serbia – for which my organisation was founded. https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/ As you can see from the many photographs https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/category/photographs-warning-animal-suffering/ and reports on my site; again the EU is not really doing anything regard animal welfare. The EU Enlargement Commission under Hahn makes all these statements about enforcing the ‘EU Rule of Law’ – a fundamental which must be shown by all accession states. And yet, for the last 11 years at least, Serbia has never enforced any of its rules of law regarding stray animal welfare. Here are a few samples from my site to show this:
And how does the EU reprimand Serbia for non enforcement of the rule of law ? – it hands out over 1 BILLION Euros to them as a sweetner for becoming a member of the almighty club !
What with this hunting illegally in Serbia, EU live animal trasnsport to not EU nations and so many other issues in the EU at this preset time; I think it fair to say that the EU has dramatically failed / is dramatically failing EU citizens. MEP’s such as yourselves are not ensuring that as ‘our representatives’, rules that currently exist are being enforced. Thus I ask what the point of MEP’s actually are ? – you are failing EU citizens by failing to enforce existing rules with current and new accession states; or even introduce into your little club new regulations which ban the export of live animals outside of the EU. In other words I question if you really care about any of it at all !
We all know that the Conservative party (badger killers, fox hunters, bee killers etc) does not actually care about animal welfare, despite their weasel words; but I at least expect better from some other parties. I appreciate the help that Catherine Bearder has given to live animal transport campaigning; and Mr Keith Taylor for his help and support with Balkans stray animals; but sadly there is very little action to help live animals being transported outside of the EU. As EoA investigators say – Not a lot has changed compared to five years ago.
I thus deduce that the EU MEP system has failed. Is there any reason to have people in jobs when they do not act to reflect the wishes of the citizens of Europe ?
For me personally and the UK supporters of my organisation; you have until the UK referendum on Europe to do something and stop the long distance transportation of live animals and to make your voice heard with Commission Hahn regarding Serbia NOT enforcing its own legislation – or its own rules of law. Animals should be slaughtered as near to their point of origin as possible, then with meat exports only being on the hook, not the hoof. The EU is failing animals and putting finance above welfare; and I personally am sickened by this and this approach.
Please enforce changes now or be prepared to walk out of the EU come the UK referendum. The people of the UK want action from people like you, not false ‘forever in the future’ promises that will happen many years down the line; if they ever happen at all.
Yours truly,
Mark Johnson
Founder ‘Serbian Animals Voice’
Date – 31st August 2015.
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Venus has left a comment on the site; here is the full transcript as sent. Thank you Venus.
We hope that people take note of what is said.
Dear Mark,
I’ll try to respond to your letter, as if I were an honest European Parliament Member.
Not one that was elected by EU citizens to earn 12,000 euros a month (at least) without bringing any benefit for it.
The European Union is the Lobby-factory of the agricultural industry.
These agribusiness knows no other purpose than to maximize their profits. It is active, where the profit is greatest.
Examples: piglets are born in Holland, fattened in Spain and slaughtered in Italy.
In this respect, animals are regarded as a profitable source, and therefore the trucks take the living charge to where the money sounds.
No matter how, injured, maimed, bleeding, half-dead or dead, the goods and the money has to be delivered.
Over thousands of kilometers, the EU Commission pays subsidies to support a lucrative business with death and suffering.
As it had promised to the agricultural industry before the elections.
To ensure its voters for the next elections, the EU has introduced some bogus rules: determining the ceiling height, transport breaks, soaking duty, etc. Rules that are never kept, and when they are discovered, the perpetrators come with ridiculous penalties thereof.
No MEP has any interest to improve the transport of animals, to stop the Dog Catcher Mafia in Romania, or to punish the violations of the Serbs against the animal rights before the country enters the EU.
Concerns depend on the highest profits, the business with the transport of animals must be running as well as in all economic sectors.
2,438,306,132 animals are transported annually as a commodity throughout Europe. Humanly seen a disgrace to the 21st century.
For the EU band just a statistic, a number.
And a profitable performance for the agricultural Mafia as promised !!
This is the situation of the EU institution of the 21st century.
By the way, a shame also.
There is an effective method against these two kinds of shame: stop eating meat, and do not go in the EU elections.
No citizen should be used as a useful idiot so MEPs deserves every month what an average citizen earns in the year and with hard work.
Namely, in order to do nothing (at best).
Regards
Venus
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