Handle with Care: Urge the OIE to Adopt Farm Animal Transport Standards |
 |
April 27, 2005
 |
| ©2005 |
Compassion Over Killing
|
No human would consider even for a minute taking a multi-day trip in a crowded and overheated cargo hold, with little or no food to eat, but every year, millions of farm animals travel this way.
That's because in most countries, regulations for farm animal transportation are weak or nonexistent. Food and water, rest, and veterinary care for animals during transportation are generally provided at the whim and convenience of individual merchants, which means that cattle, pigs, and chickens often arrive at their destination thirsty and hungry, injured or dead. In Europe, about 3 million farm animals annually are sent on journeys of up to 90 hours. Many are subjected to intense crowding, freezing cold or baking heat. What's more, some 75,000 sheep die each year during ocean trips from Australia to the Middle East.
The bottom line is that billions of animals are killed every year for food, and many of them are transported before slaughter. Global transportation standards could have a huge impact on the welfare of these animals.
But, finally, an international organization is set to vote on transportation standards for these unprotected animals.
You've probably heard of the World Trade Organization (WTO), but chances are you don't know about the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). While the WTO considers international trade issues it doesn't examine animal welfare, so another organization with equal scope must step in. The OIE has monitored communicable animal diseases for more than 75 years, so it is a natural choice to tackle badly needed international animal transportation standards.
The OIE has drafted the first-ever overarching global standards for live animal welfare during land and sea transportation. The OIE plans to vote on these voluntary standards during its May meeting in Paris. If a majority approves, the OIE will develop more detailed standards and then recommend them to its 167 member countries. Although the standards would not be binding, OIE's endorsement would strongly imply to all member countries that world opinion is in favor of protecting farm animals. Many of the member countries currently have no animal welfare transportation legislation and in fact lack awareness and expertise on the subject.
What Is Included in the Standards?
The OIE has not publicly spelled out its proposed standards yet, but they are likely to cover many aspects of animal welfare during transport, including:
- holding and selection of animals before travel
- rest periods, food and water, both on and off the transporting vehicle or vessel
- timely and humane veterinary inspections
- veterinary interventions and facilities
- immediate humane euthanasia for sick and injured animals
The standards will provide a comprehensive basis for each member country's consideration of animal welfare, for personnel training, and for new legislation to protect animals on the road or at sea. As the OIE is international in scope, its standards will reflect global expert opinion, and their adoption will signal the importance of animal welfare during transportation. Also, the development of truly global standards for animal welfare makes this issue less likely to be sidelined in international trade discussions, such as those of the WTO.
What You Can Do
If the OIE adopts these standards at its May meeting in Paris, it will pioneer worldwide consideration of farm animal welfare during transportation. While the OIE has not yet released specific standards, animal advocates believe the standards will provide a sound framework of guiding principles and will shine light on the globally neglected topic of animal welfare during transport.
Please join The HSUS, Compassion in World Farming, and animal advocates around the world in urging the United States' OIE representative to support these landmark standards. Public comments are due by May 8.
Please write to:
Dr. Peter Fernandez
President of the OIE Regional for the Americas
Associate Administrator
USDA-APHIS
Room 314-E
J.L. Whitten Federal Building
Washington, DC 20250-3432
Points to Make
» Live animals can suffer greatly during transportation. The world needs comprehensive standards for their treatment.
» The United States cares about animal welfare, and it should lead the way for other countries by voting to adopt the World Organization for Animal Health’s proposed standards at the May meeting.
» The standards should cover conditions for live animals before, during, and after transportation.
» Standards should provide for food, water, rest periods, reasonable temperatures, veterinary inspections, and humane euthanasia if needed.
