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Since 20.03.2013 the Turkish border veterinarians are enforcing the EU maximum journey times for animals, as indicated in the EU animal-protection-during-transport regulation EC 1/2005. Previously, compliance with EU animal-protection laws played no role in the processing and acceptance of EU livestock trucks by the Turkish authorities. But since yesterday they are checking and enforcing the maximum journey times for animals coming from the EU. The Turkish authorities are not letting any livestock trucks through that have not first given the animals a 24-hour rest at an EU control post. At the control posts the animals are unloaded, given water and feed and allowed to rest for 24hrs. This is a requirement found in the EU legislation, and the Turkish authorities are insisting it be done in the EU because they do not yet have proper facilities on the Turkish side to unload all animals. Over the past two years, teams from Eyes on Animals and Animal Welfare Foundation have been regularly in contact with the Turkish authorities. During these many meetings the Turkish officials had promised that Turkey would adopt the EU transport regulation as of 2013. We are pleased to see that the Turkish authorities have kept their promise and have taken this important step to decrease the suffering of animals on this route. |
