The Guardian Animal rights campaigners criticised the European commission yesterday for doing far too little to end the practice of transporting live animals to the continent in cramped overheated lorries on journeys which can last up to 50 hours. Compassion in World Farming said proposals from Brussels to force road hauliers to install sophisticated equipment to monitor ventilation, temperature and humidity levels during such trips fell well short of what was needed. We think it's simply not enough. We believe we shouldn't have long journeys at all regardless of the type of vehicle being used.
Animals suffer stress, can be trampled to death and become dehydrated.
Britain exports around 1m sheep to mainland Europe every year. The commission proposals, which must be approved by EU governments stipulate that all new trucks used for such journeys need to be specially modified by January 2002. Older trucks would have to meet the new standards by the end of 2003. It is estimated up to 20,000 lorries across Europe would need to be refitted with improved temperature controls as well as a warning system to alert the driver to dangerous increases in temperature.