Shocking controls: 69 violations against animal transport on the A4!

Shocking controls: 69 violations against animal transport on the A4!

What's going on on the A4 in Lichtenau? On November 10th and 11th, the Chemnitz traffic police station, the Central Saxony Veterinary Office and the Czech police went on a joint inspection trip to check suspicious animal transports. The aim of the measure was to ensure animal protection and to identify violations of applicable laws. A total of 34 vehicles were checked, including 32 trucks and tractor-trailers and two cars with trailers. The authorities proved a shocking number of 69 administrative offenses, as Blick.de reports.

Of these violations, more than three dozen involved cases in which driving and rest periods were ignored. There were also four overloading violations and eight violations of the Animal Welfare Act. The deficiencies in animal transport are particularly worrying: some animals were not given water for long periods of time, and the cleaning of the transport boxes also left something to be desired. One driver even transported seven piglets too many, which is not only illegal but also extremely unethical.

Background of the controls

The slow checks are tearing a deep hole in the system, where responsibility for the welfare of the animals lies with everyone involved in the transport, be it the transport companies, organizers or drivers. You must comply with the EU regulation, which has been in force since January 5, 2007. This regulates the transport of live vertebrates within the EU and sets specific requirements, such as qualifications for drivers. Once granted, the approvals are valid for five years and are recorded in an electronic database, as BMELH explains.

For long-distance transport of 8 hours or more, special documents must be presented to ensure the welfare of the animals. The authorities subject the transports to close inspection not only upon departure, but also at border checkpoints.

Animal protection in the EU – An urgently needed reform process

In the EU, people keep more than 150 million cats and dogs. In this context, the EU Commission has now proposed further standardization for the keeping and transport of animals. A report by Tagesschau shows that the new rules should apply not only to animals for slaughter, but also to pets. The objective is clear: to improve animal welfare and prevent mistreatment and neglect.

The planned regulations include, among other things, minimum standards for breeders and animal shelters, which are intended to ensure that animals are treated in a species-appropriate manner. The transport requirements should also become stricter: the maximum duration for journeys to the butcher should be limited to 9 hours and for other transports to 21 hours, with a one-hour break being mandatory after 10 hours. This reform of animal transport rules is the biggest change in two decades and is actively supported by Federal Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir.

As the recent incidents on the A4 show, there is still a long way to go to guarantee the welfare of animals at all levels. Controls must be intensified and violations of the rules must be dealt with decisively by everyone involved. Ultimately, animals should not just be viewed as transport goods, but should have a respectful place in our society.