Animals\' Angels - wir sind bei den Tieren | we are there with the animals

An extensive research of the dairy industry has taken ANIMALS’ ANGELS right to were the cows are – we have inspected dairy farms, cattle auctions, assembly centres, slaughterhouses and carried out road checks of animal transports. This report shows the deplorable state of "dairy" cows in Germany.
»Please watch also our films on the issue.









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This report, based on scientific evidence and empirical research extended over many years, shows once again that severe animal suffering is inherent in long distance transports. The report is based on random road checks of animal transports on different transport routes in Europe. Due to this fact, it gives an authentic picture of (illegal) long distance transports of live animals in Europe. The results are alarming. The report proves that it is inevitable that the animals’ welfare is severely compromised on long distance transports.







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In the year 2009, Animals’ Angels inspected “breeding cattle” auctions all over Germany. Besides calves and bulls, these auctions mainly focus on the sale of lactating cows. The cows are transported to the auction without having been milked in the morning and are not milked until after they have been sold. This procedure is common practice at German cattle auctions. The animals are not milked for at least 16 hours, or sometimes even more than 20 hours. The high pressure that develops in the udder causes pain and suffering to the animals.





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Insufficient headroom above the animals during transport is a frequent problem and a major factor causing severe animal suffering. Being a commercial activity, animal transports are usually conducted as economically as possible. Therefore, animals are loaded on multideck vehicles to carry the highest number of animals possible on one vehicle with the aim of reducing the costs. This problem of insufficient headroom is not restricted to certain transport companies, routes, countries of departure or species.  The present report summarizes examples of transport conditions found during Animals’ Angels’ investigations in different EU Member States and on different transport routes where the space above the animals has been insufficient.



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Keeping ‘dairy’ cows in tie stall housing systems contradicts welfare guidelines aswell as legally binding regulations. However, it is still common practice in many European member states.Germany is the biggest producer of cow milk in Europe. More than one third of Germany’s ‘dairy’ cows are kept in tie stall housing systems, many ofthem without pasturing. In small dairy farms, 85% of German ‘dairy’ cows are tethered. In 2009, Animals’ Angels has inspected numerous dairy farms all over Germany. This compilation report offers an insight into some of the major animal welfare problems inherent in tie stall housing systems.





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This submission is based on Animals’ Angels 10 years´ experience in the field of long distance transportation of animals. Since the Council Regulation 1/2005 has become effective in 2007, Animals’ Angels has inspected 72 long distance transports across Europe. In those inspections, 294 infringements have been observed.









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Reports by the Commission’s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) and Animals’ Angels show that compliance with, and enforcement of, Council Regulation 1/2005 is poor in many Member States. Animals’ Angels (AA), Compassion in World Farming and Eurogroup for Animals urge the Commission and the Member States to launch an enforcement initiative designed to lead to improved and more uniform enforcement of the Regulation across the EU. The FVO reports and our own experience suggest that a common problem is lack of clarity by the officials responsible for controls and enforcement as to the steps that need to be taken to achieve proper compliance with the Regulation. This paper seeks to identify the principal risk factors for poor enforcement and to indicate the actions needed to achieve a proper level of enforcement.



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This Animals’ Angels report focuses on conditions and treatment of horses at slaughter plants, auctions, feedlots and during transport. We found that horse slaughter encompasses public safety issues, public health concerns, environmental issues as well as the obvious and very significant concerns regarding cruelty and inhumane treatment. This report provides documentation of the numerous ways horse slaughter is inhumane. At the moment a horse is designated a "kill horse" fated for slaughter, handling and treatment change radically from that normally given horses.








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This Review Report offers an insight into the condition of animals who spend their entire lives giving birth and producing milk on a piece work basis. The evidence offered and the requests proposed in this report, are based on newly gained data from 2008 and are backed up by the results of previous investigations in 2007.










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Long distance transports of unweaned animals
Animal welfare problems occuring at long distance transports of unweaned animals, and their implications, 08/2008














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The Animals’ Angels Report 2007 is the result of 388 missions with 433 inspections, in the course of which an Animals’ Angels estimate shows more than 1,700 violations of applicable laws to have taken place. It summarizes what Animals’ Angels inspectors found in 19 countries during transport inspections, at animal markets, in ports and slaughterhouses.








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The present report lists and explains the welfare problems, which cannot to be adequately resolved by legislation, as they are inherent in the long-distance transport of animals. The intention of this report is to provide the European Commission with details in favour of the reduction of transport times with regard to the forthcoming revision of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport.











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Documentation about the transport of US-American horses to a slaughterhouse in Canada, June 2007













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Documentation about illegal methodic maltreatment of pigs before transport to slaughter and slaughterhouses who accept these animals, Canada 04-05/2007












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Documentation about a duck masting plant for the production of Foie Gras, Palmex, Canada, May 2007












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Documentation about Canadas largest turkey slaughterhouse in St. Jean Baptiste, May 2007













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Animals' Angels documenting misuse of authority by veterinarians of the European Union, April 2007













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Exceeded loading density and insufficient transport facilities for transports of sheep from Australia, February 2007












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Information guide containing the legislation and behavioural rules for the execution of animal welfare directives on animal transports, compiled by Animals´ Angels for the Western Australia Police authority.











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Animals' Angels' documentation about the poor state of health of "dairy"cows at Spanish cattle markets, November 2006












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Documentation about the insufficient execution of animal welfare directives on animal transports from Spain to Italy, November 2006












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Documentation about the mistreatment of "downers" (animals unable to get up) on transports and actions linked with it, November 2006














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In 2006 Animals’ Angels observed 16 long-distance horse transports originating from European Member States and from Third Countries. All 16 transports were found to be in violation of Council Directive 91/628/EEC as amended by Council Directive 95/29/EC1 on the protection of animals during transport.











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This report describes and explaines the results of the Animals' Angels investigation in downer cows, provides an analysis of pertinent legislation and finally proposes several measures to overcome the shortcomings observed.










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Animals´ Angels documents the poor state of health and mistreatment of "dairy" cows at Rates livestock market in Portugal, 2005-2006












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Animals´ Angels documentation about the poor state of health and mistreatment of "dairy" cows at Leeuwarden livestock market, Netherlands 2005-2006












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Insufficient veterinarian inspections at Ontario´s livestock markets and insufficient animal welfare directives resulting in massive animal welfare problems on these markets.












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Animals' Angels documentation about the transports of live animals from Spain to Italy, February 2006













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Animals´ Angels documentation about the poor state of health and mistreatment of "dairy" cows at Utrecht livestock market, Netherlands 2001-2006











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Documentation about the condition and treatment of animals during 19 shippings from the Port of Fremantle, Australia












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Documentation about animal welfare problems during 7 shippings of sheep from Port of Fremantle, Australia, April-July 2005













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Documentation about deficiencies in the execution of the EU-transport legislation and the suffering of downer cows in the Netherlands, February - June 2005












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Documentation about the suffering of animals during long-distance transports due to missing emergency unloading sites












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