TSB|AWF and EonA team was invited by Poznan Road Transport Inspection (ITD) to perform practical inspections on the road. We gave them our training course on Reg. 1/2005 (EU regulation on the protection of animals during transport) in Poznan in April 2016, so it was high time to work together again. In fact, our hands were full!
Our team together with three ITD teams inspected 6 livestock trucks: 3 pig transports, two cattle and one mink transport. Sadly, only one truck was in compliance. One truck had 2 animals on board that were legally fit-enough for transport but had injuries that raised concerns about the welfare and health at the place of origin. We will work with the official Veterinarians on this issue. On a national cattle transport truck, animal-welfare was legally acceptable, but the paper documents were unacceptable. ITD initiated proceedings against the company. Both international livestock trucks, unfortunately, were found to have numerous infringements. Cattle heading to Italy were transported in non-compliance, with horned cattle mixed on board with hornless ones and without any feed or adequate headspace. Veterinary Inspection was called to initiate proceedings, ITD started proceedings as well.
Mink from the Netherlands were transported in a very worrying way: cages with animals were not secured, and some of them were positioned in such a way that forced animals to travel long hours on a slanted floor. At least one animal broke free from its cage. There was no way to inspect animals in the middle rows. ITD initiated proceedings, and we will contact the Dutch authorities at the place of departure so that such infringements are prevented in the future. Besides documenting violations themselves, it was extremely sad to see how many of these young female mink were showing severe stereotypies, a clear sign of long-term stress.
