Danish animal welfare group deplores shocking conditions endured by animals on long trips

Livestock often transported for over eight hours without access to water

Shifa Rahaman

TV2 reports that new figures from the Ministry of Environment and Food have revealed the shocking conditions farm animals face on journeys from Denmark to other parts of the EU.

Long journeys without access to water
The figures, which were released by Dyrenes Beskyttelse, an animal welfare organisation, revealed that there has been a significant increase in the number of pigs and cattle transported on journeys lasting longer than eight hours.

The animals, who are often transported without access to water, are subjected to conditions that lead to stress, hunger, thirst, dehydration, discomfort and pain.

Extremely worrying
“I am very surprised by the increase and I think it is worrying that the numbers are rising – especially when you consider that we would like better animal welfare,” Pernille Fraas Johnsen, the chief consultant at Dyrenes Beskyttelse, was quoted as saying.

Seven millions pigs were transported on journeys lasting longer than eight hours in 2015 – up from 3 million in 2010. The number of cattle transported in similar conditions during the same period increased from 19,641 to almost 50,000.

Dyrenes Beskyttelse is of the belief that the EU must adopt a transport cut-off of eight-hour journeys to save animals from being subjected to undue stress.

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