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 an anti-slip rough surface, with plenty of fresh straw on top, to avoid animals from slipping and falling and to provide comfort should they wish to lie down. The roof is high and there are many large fans installed to improve air quality on hot and humid days. The unloading docks are built so that the tailgate of the trucks is not too steep for the animals to walk on or off safely. Each pen is also equipped with a new large water trough, so that all animals have easy and permanent access to drinking water.
