Eyes on Animals is putting the law finally into practice! Thanks to the Eyes on Animals and TSB|AWF training-courses that we developed and give to the highway police, bad animal-transport companies are being fined and animals are being helped! Recently, during one of our practical training courses in Poland, Eyes on Animals, TSB|AWF and the official Polish road inspectors stopped a truck carrying pregnant heifers from Estonia on their way to Turkey! The conditions on board were not within the law- the bedding was filthy, the cattle did not have enough headspace and the drivers were not carrying any extra bedding or feed on board for the animals. The Polish authorities ordered the truck to drive to the next control post where the animals could be unloaded in stables. They were only allowed to continue on the journey with two trucks, so that the cattle only be transported on one level and thus with more headroom. Feed and extra bedding were ordered to also be on board.
We cannot stop the long-distance transport of animals right away, but we for sure are making sure that transporters and exporters trying to cheat the animal-welfare law will cost them money and headaches!