Today, Eyes on Animals gave a presentation to official veterinarians from the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), working at assembly centers and slaughterhouses. We shared our working methods, key findings, and areas that, in our view, require more attention, including: It was an open and constructive exchange with NVWA veterinarians about these … [Read more...] about Eyes on Animals presents to official NVWA veterinarians
animal transport
Dutch truck carrying 306 Irish calves overturns in France – 105 calves dead
On April 9, 2026, a Dutch truck carrying 306 Irish calves overturned on the A29 near Framerville-Rainecourt, in the Somme department in northern France. No fewer than 105 calves did not survive. The driver sustained minor injuries. The calves were only a few weeks old and were being transported to the Netherlands. The vehicle was a closed truck, in which animals are … [Read more...] about Dutch truck carrying 306 Irish calves overturns in France – 105 calves dead
10-day field mission to Mongolia – improving slaughter practices and transport
Eyes on Animals conducted a field mission to Mongolia following an invitation from a Cambridge University researcher working in the country on animal and meat-related issues. As part of this visit, we were also a special guest speaker at a big conference in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, where we shared insights on slaughter practices and animal welfare. The aim of the mission … [Read more...] about 10-day field mission to Mongolia – improving slaughter practices and transport
VanDrie breaks promise on imports of Irish calves
The billion-euro veal company VanDrie Group is backing away from its firm promise to stop importing Irish calves from 2026 onwards. The company itself set this deadline following public outrage over the controversial and illegal calf transports. Now that the deadline has arrived, VanDrie is quietly continuing the imports. Every spring, VanDrie imports tens of thousands … [Read more...] about VanDrie breaks promise on imports of Irish calves
Regional slaughterhouses are disappearing — and animals are paying the price
Across the Netherlands, regional slaughterhouses are disappearing at an alarming pace. Not because they are unnecessary, but because they can no longer survive financially. And while that might sound like good news coming from an animal welfare organization, the reality is the opposite. The Netherlands is the world’s second-largest exporter of agricultural products, … [Read more...] about Regional slaughterhouses are disappearing — and animals are paying the price
Injured sows at Lunteren assembly centre: NVWA investigation ruled inadequate
The Dutch Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal (College van Beroep voor het Bedrijfsleven, CBb) has ruled that the Ministry wrongly rejected an enforcement request submitted by Eyes on Animals concerning injured sows at the Lunteren assembly centre. According to the court, the underlying investigation carried out by the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety … [Read more...] about Injured sows at Lunteren assembly centre: NVWA investigation ruled inadequate
Dead piglets on transport from Lunteren assembly centre
This summer, Eyes on Animals and colleagues from Animal Welfare Foundation observed an animal truck with Dutch piglets on board arriving at a slaughterhouse in Croatia. The animals had been loaded at an assembly centre in Lunteren (NL). During unloading, we saw that at least five piglets had not survived the journey. Their bodies were thrown from the ramp and dragged to a … [Read more...] about Dead piglets on transport from Lunteren assembly centre
Export checks of young piglets for slaughter fall short: serious violations documented on transports from the Netherlands to Croatia
This summer, Eyes on Animals documented two long-distance transports of Dutch piglets to slaughterhouses in Croatia. Our findings show that export checks at Dutch assembly centres are far too superficial. We observed dead piglets upon arrival, overcrowded conditions on board, uneven loading between compartments, piglets in poor physical condition, and … [Read more...] about Export checks of young piglets for slaughter fall short: serious violations documented on transports from the Netherlands to Croatia
Welfare concerns during loading of piglets destined for Spain
Today, we saw a Spanish livestock truck at a pig farm in North Brabant, where young piglets were being loaded. We decided to take a look and introduced ourselves to one of the employees. He said we could observe on the condition that we did not film, which we naturally respected. However, just a few minutes later, the farm owner arrived and immediately ordered us to leave … [Read more...] about Welfare concerns during loading of piglets destined for Spain
Loading piglets at Van Rooi: reflecting together on how to reduce stress
Today we observed the loading of piglets at the Van Rooi assembly centre in Lieshout. The piglets being loaded were surplus animals, selected for slaughter in Croatia due to issues such as bitten ears or umbilical hernias. Our aim was to gain insight into how ‘fitness for transport’ is assessed, and to explore ways to reduce stress during loading. Herding and loading – … [Read more...] about Loading piglets at Van Rooi: reflecting together on how to reduce stress
