Eyes on Animals is not a fan of livestock markets, as this stopover adds to the stress of animals in transit from farm to slaughter. However, we must admit that Leeuwarden animal market has at least invested in very good facilities, much better than other markets we have inspected. All animals are loosely housed in pens and never tethered. The entire floor is covered in … [Read more...] about Leeuwarden (NL) animal market has good facilities
News
Inadequate stunning with the manual electric stunner ‘Le Rêve’
The manual electric stunner ‘Le Rêve’ does not cause immediate loss of consciousness, without causing pain, as required by Council Regulation (EC) No 1099/2009. The voltage of the stunning device (90V) is far too low, resulting in the mandatory amperage (for head stunning chickens this is 240mA) only to be reached after a few seconds. As a result, the birds are exposed to … [Read more...] about Inadequate stunning with the manual electric stunner ‘Le Rêve’
No concrete improvements by VanDrie and Pali to end illegal calf-import from Ireland
In March 2022 Eyes on Animals (EonA) met with two big importers of unweaned Irish calves (2-3 weeks old): VanDrie Group and Pali Group. EonA initiated this meeting as the import of unweaned calves from Ireland involves serious violations of the Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005. The feeding intervals for calves on this route are not respected, meaning that calves (at this … [Read more...] about No concrete improvements by VanDrie and Pali to end illegal calf-import from Ireland
Eyes on Animals resigns from the Poultry Catching Steering Group
Eyes on Animals has decided to leave the Poultry Catching Steering Group. The industry stakeholders within the steering group (a.o. NVPSB, Nepluvi and LTO) are not committed to switch to a catching and loading method which holds birds in an upright, natural position. Even though scientific studies, the EFSA recommendations and a court decision, all conclude that birds … [Read more...] about Eyes on Animals resigns from the Poultry Catching Steering Group
Beerten piglet-slaughterhouse in Zieuwent (NL) has closed it’s doors
Beerten Slaughterhouse in Zieuwent, where mainly piglets are slaughtered, has closed it’s doors. The main reason for this decision is due to the stricter monitoring and enforcement by NVWA and rising energy costs. Eyes on Animals visited Beerten at the end of 2019 and noted several malpractices. Piglets were not stunned and bled adequately. We also … [Read more...] about Beerten piglet-slaughterhouse in Zieuwent (NL) has closed it’s doors
Consultation with ministries LNV and SZW regarding implementation Futselaar motion
This afternoon Eyes on Animals was in The Hague at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.We met with the Minister of Agriculture (Piet Adema) and the Minister of Social Affairs and Employment (Karien van Gennip). Follow up on the progress after the implementation of the Futselaar Motion. Other participants were people from the meat industry, trade unions and … [Read more...] about Consultation with ministries LNV and SZW regarding implementation Futselaar motion
Dutch court rules: catching birds by their legs is illegal and authorities must take enforcement action
Today the Dutch court ruled that catching chickens by their legs is forbidden under EU law 1/2005, and that the Dutch Food Authority (NVWA) should enforce this. The case was filed by the organization Wakker Dier. Until now the NVWA has only given warnings to catching companies that catch and load chickens by their legs. The judge has decided that this does not suffice. The … [Read more...] about Dutch court rules: catching birds by their legs is illegal and authorities must take enforcement action
More and more chicken-catching companies, encouraged by the Dutch Chicken Catching Organization, refuse to catch birds upright
For more than six years we have had a positive time training chicken-catching companies on the gentle upright method of catching poultry and, together with several egg and poultry producers, have been catching the birds upright instead of inverted by the legs. Gentle upright catching was not something that could be put into place at all poultry farms in the Netherlands, as … [Read more...] about More and more chicken-catching companies, encouraged by the Dutch Chicken Catching Organization, refuse to catch birds upright
Laying hens from Rondeel this time caught by the legs and held upside down
Despite Rondeel having been the first egg company to switch to the gentle upright method of catching hens in 2017, this time none of the birds were caught upright. The reason being that the large chicken-catching companies, such as Den Ouden in this case, refuse. They have been pressured by the umbrella poultry organization to no longer catch any birds in the Netherlands … [Read more...] about Laying hens from Rondeel this time caught by the legs and held upside down
Milk from farmers who keep their calves with their mothers now available in Dutch stores !
The calves are not directly taken away from their mother when they are born, which happens almost always, but they can stay with their mother for a longer period of time (usually a few months). Because of this, the calves are also not transported when they are very little (2-3 weeks), which is a great improvement for them. A world in which everyone eats plant-based, … [Read more...] about Milk from farmers who keep their calves with their mothers now available in Dutch stores !
