The EU law protecting animals does not discriminate against smaller animals or animals of lower value, all vertebrate animals are to be treated equally. And yet, the transport of broiler chickens and spent hens is shocking: 1-2% arrive dead at the slaughterhouse and up to 50% in a flock have broken bones and yet are still loaded. The crates and drawers used to transport the birds do no fulfill the EU requirements for the transport of animals- the headspace is inadequate (birds are not even able to stand up in their natural position), ventilation is thus restricted, the foors are mostly slippery, there is little prevention of droppings falling onto the birds below and worst of all, there is absolutely no access to the birds once on the truck. This means injured and sick birds cannot be helped for hours and hours while on the truck or stocked in the lairage of the slaughterhouse. These conditions have been tolerated for so long, because it is “common practice”. We are particularly disappointed in some transport companies that also use very old and broken crates, further risking injury to the animals. Eyes on Animals hopes to change this and is challenging players of the chicken industry to voluntarily make improvements until the authorities finally strengthen the enforcement procedures.
