• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • EYES ON ANIMALS – Watching out for their Welfare
  • English
  • Nederlands
  • Deutsch

Eyes on Animals

Watching out for their Welfare

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
DONATE
  • About us
    • What we do
    • Our team
    • Key Figures
    • Contact
  • News
    • Latest news
    • Good news
    • Bad news
    • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Inspections
    • Farms
    • Markets
    • Transports
    • Slaughterhouses
    • Special projects
    • Other
  • Training
    • Police
    • Truck drivers
    • Poultry-catchers
    • Slaughter personnel
    • Training Material
    • Request a training
  • Industry Tips
    • Animal transport
      • Cattle
      • Pigs
      • Poultry
    • Slaughterhouses
      • Cattle
      • Pigs
      • Poultry
      • Ritual slaughter
    • Educational videos
  • Publications
    • In the media
      • Print
      • Television
      • Radio
      • Videos
    • Newsletters
    • Special reports
    • Training Material
    • Annual reviews
  • Future Vision
  • Help us
Home » Our training » Police training » Belgium police » Practical training day of West-Flanders police

Practical training day of West-Flanders police

May 7, 2012

traning_west_vlaanderen_foto_1

 During the practical part of the training, seventeen trucks were checked in the early morning of Monday the 7th. Ten fines were issued: three for animal-welfare violations, two trucks were too heavily loaded, one driver did not have the required documents, there was one case of tachograph fraud and three drivers were fined for road offences.
The police officers were highly motivated and fully involved us in the inspection. They didn’t only pay attention to the presence of valid documents, but also to the condition of the animals in the trucks. We were impressed by the leading police-inspector and his colleagues’ great commitment, we feel honoured having been able to work with them.
Besides traffic police officers two employees of AFSCA (federal agency for safety of the food chain) were present. The inspection was carried out at a traffic post along motorway E17 in Kortrijk. 

training_west_vlaanderen_foto_2

In one of the trucks the cows did not have enough headroom. In the same truck there was also a culled Holstein cow lying down with a rope tied around her hind legs- a sign that she had weak legs. She appeared in very poor condition and her back-left leg was trembling.
training_west_vlaanderen_foto_3

According to EU regulations animals that are not able to stand or walk on their own are not to be transported. Nevertheless this cow was being transported. The vets on the spot consulted the vet at the slaughterhouse where she was destined for. They decided to allow the transport to continue as the slaughterhouse was not far away but asked for feedback as to her condition on arrival. Later our suspicions were confirmed – she indeed was a “downer” and was not able to get up. The police and veterinarian authorities are now in the process of pressing charges.

 training_west_vlaanderen_foto_5

The trucks transporting broiler chickens made a very poor impression. On one truck in particular it was obvious that the loading of the chickens had been done in a very quick and careless manner, leading to serious suffering. The head of one was crushed between the frame and drawer of her container -she had already died a painful death when we observed her.

training_west_vlaanderen_foto_6

A number of chickens lay on their backs. They were not able to turn themselves right-side up (too heavy as they are selected for large breasts). Because one cannot access poultry during transport (there are no side-access doors), we could not do anything for them. Lying on the back without the ability to move is extremely stressful for poultry. They are completely helpless and many were being trampled by others.

training_west_vlaanderen_foto_7 

Another chicken on the same truck had her wing caught in the upper part of the container- with some effort we were able to release it.

training_west_vlaanderen_foto_8 

A sad reality of the intensive broiler- chicken world nowadays is that many of the birds develop wounds on their feet which become infected from all the faeces and ammonia on the floor. It is very painful. Numerous chickens had this. It is unbelievable that broilers are only 6 weeks of age when they go for slaughter and already look in such bad condition. The authorities will contact this transport company about the observed problems and issue a penalty. 

Thanks to the traffic police West-Flanders a successful inspection took place, at which animal welfare was given precedence. We hope that by having more random police inspections of livestock trucks on the highways in Europe, we will see an end to the above suffering.
We would like to also thank the Dinamo Fond for helping us financially so that we can afford to go to these trainings and make our training material.

  • share 
  • tweet 
  • share 
  • save 
  • email 

Filed Under: Belgium police

Would you like Eyes on Animals to give a training course to the people of your company? Or do you have questions about our training courses?

Please contact us at info@eyesonanimals.com

Primary Sidebar

Search

Featured

Appeal against decision of NVWA concerning wounded sows at Lunteren pig assembly centre

On March 8th, 2021 we found a truck parked at Lunteren assembly centre with two seriously injured … [Read More...] about Appeal against decision of NVWA concerning wounded sows at Lunteren pig assembly centre

Featured

EonA director interviewed on Studio Plantaardig Podcast

Lesley Moffat from Eyes on Animals was guest on Studio Plantaardig today.  Listen to the interview … [Read More...] about EonA director interviewed on Studio Plantaardig Podcast

Our most recent newsletter

Dear friends,

I first discovered the bad side of factory-farming and industrial slaughter when I was a young girl of twelve.
When I visited a livestock market I saw a pile of sick animals left for dead behind the building. At a huge industrial poultry slaughterhouse, I saw dozens of live chickens walking around the bloody floor…

 

Read more…

Subscribe to our newsletter

Eyes on Animals op Twitter

Twitter feed is not available at the moment.

ANBI

Footer

Donate with Paypal

Paypal Eyes on Animals
One-time donation:
Monthly donation:

Reading Material

  • In the Media
  • Newsletters
  • Special EonA reports
  • Legislative texts
  • ANBI

Our Amsterdam Office

Amsterdam House Hotel
Eyes on Animals main office is in downtown Amsterdam, at the Amsterdam House Hotel. The generous and warm-hearted hotel owner donated to Eyes on Animals, free of charge, a beautiful room where our inspectors can work, hold meetings and store their material.

Copyright © 2023 · Eyes on Animals | Website by Webkompaan