Our team is investigating fattening farms in the Spanish region of Lleida. This is also where unweaned calves from Germany are transported. After six to ten months of fattening, these calves are exported to countries outside European Union by sea. 

On the first investigation day we spot a calf outside the fattening farm pen. The calf is lying in…

Our team is investigating in the Spanish export harbour Tarragona. We are accompanied by a journalist. Together we want to collect information about live export by sea from Spain. 

Currently, animals are loaded on export ships in Tarragona almost on a daily basis. The demand for live animals from the Middle East is very high at the moment because…

Poland is gradually lifting some of the national restrictions related to COVID-19. Therefore, the town of Bodzentyn allows animal markets to re-open. Our team can now continue with their market inspections to ensure that the welfare of the animals at the market is respected. Obligations to keep social distance at least at two meters are still in…

Together with our partner organisation, Israel Against Live Shipments (IALS), we are documenting the export of Hungarian lambs to Israel. Our team finds out that on March 31, 2020 the Hungarian lambs will first be transported by truck to the Slovenian port of Koper.

In this port, the animals, which are between four and five months, are…

This month, the work for our Farm Animal Service (FAS) team starts on a farm in Lomno. A mare on this farm is limping. We are inspection her hooves and find a hematoma. We disinfect and protect the wound with a spray. We will come back to trim the hooves after the wound healed.

Our next visit is on a farm in Nowy Jawor. We want to check whether…

To be clear: The EU-Commission and the member states cannot ignore their duties. They are responsible for the ongoing live exports by sea. However, they are not taking any actions against these transports. Maybe because they think that no one is aware of these transports?

On Tuesday, 10th of March, our team arrives at the border crossing in Koroszczyn to provide a training for border vets on the Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 in the context of  live exports. The Polish border is of strategic importance, as it is an exit/entry point from and into the EU. The audience for the training is selected by the Chief…

Our team is inspecting the cattle market in Bodzentyn. We estimate that there are about 300 animals on the market today. Like during our last inspections, most of the animals that are sold on the market are calves. We speculate that the farmers try to get subsidies for animal ownership from the government which is starting in May.  

We only notice…

We meet informant Kathrin (name changed), who wishes to remain anonymous. She tells us the story of how a woman acted as a front to obtain her two yearlings Peach and Archie by deception for a kill buyer.

Due to health problems, Kathrin decided to rehome her yearlings Peach and Archie to a good new home. A woman in Queensland had promised to look…