Scandal for animal transport: cattle suffer on the border with Türkiye!

Scandal for animal transport: cattle suffer on the border with Türkiye!

in Berlin is currently putting a lot of pressure: the animal protection foundation has demonstrated four paws against the ongoing animal transport at the Brandenburg Gate. The reason for this is one of the worst incidents in the history of animal transport, which occurred between September and October 2024. 69 pregnant cattle were sent from Brandenburg on a 3500 kilometer journey to the slaughterhouse, such as the Berliner Kurier

The cattle came from different federal states and were to be transported to Turkey. However, the district of Elbe-Elster approved this transport, although it was already informed about the dangers of blue-fuel disease in Germany. On the Turkish-Bulgarian border, the transport was finally stopped by the Turkish authorities. The reason: Germany was no longer considered a epidemic, and the animals then had to persevere for four weeks under terrible conditions, often without water, while 21 animals, including 8 cattle and 13 calves, died in the waiting time.

a negligent approval

Although all drivers had the necessary papers, including a certificate of the veterinarians of the Elbe-Elster district, the competent office led transport unproblematic. With these failed controls it becomes clear that there is a huge mess in bureaucracy, as Thomas Schröder, President of the German Animal Welfare Association, criticizes. "We have to ask ourselves how it could go," says Schröder, who also sees that the structural and organizational responsibilities between the federal, EU and the countries are not clearly regulated.

According to the incident, the responsible Federal Minister Cem Özdemir also shows himself "shocked" and has announced that changes in the law should be discussed in the coming weeks. In the coalition agreement, the traffic light government has promised to only allow living animal transports in third countries under animal welfare conditions. Yes, as the Tierschutzbund , such regulations are not anchored in the current draft of the new animal protection law.

a recurring problem

The incident in the past year is far from an isolated case. According to the cattle on the border, transport trucks were again found with cattle that suffered from similar conditions. The animal welfare association and other activists therefore emphasize a national ban on living animal transports in third countries. For many German farmers, the transport measures are a lucrative business to sell old dairy cows and calves, but at what price?

The struggle for the well -being of the animals continues. Activists of four paws plan an extensive information campaign in order to raise awareness of the fate of the cattle during this transport. It is to be hoped that something will soon move in politics so that such tragedies can be avoided in the future.