Today, we paid an unannounced visit to the VION pig slaughterhouse in Boxtel (NL). At VION in Boxtel, we have often observed chauffeurs waiting for many hours before pigs could be unloaded. We have also frequently seen trucks, fully loaded with pigs, standing outside the canopy in the sun. Because the situation did not improve sufficiently, we filed an enforcement request with the NVWA last year, which resulted in a fine for VION.
We are pleased to report that today we did not see any trucks in the vicinity. When we arrived, there were four trucks under the canopy (around 3:00 PM). Large fans and water misters have been installed under the canopy on our recommendation. As we observed that things were running fairly smoothly, we did not document the duration of the waiting times today. Around 8 o’clock, we went to check again, and at that time, there was one truck under the canopy.
VION informed us that due to the heat today, fewer pigs were delivered. This allows for better distribution of the pig deliveries, resulting in shorter waiting times.
We would like to thank VION for the improvements that have been implemented. They make a significant difference for the thousands of animals that are delivered there daily.
