Export of Livestock

Selina Scott was on the Daily Politics show this week giving us an update on this practice
In particular it was about the selling and subsequent forwarding abroad for slaughter of Lambs and unweaned Calves.
All within EU regulations. Some end up in Turkey where the slaughterhouse methods are described as barbaric.
These animals can be in transit for as much as 6 days and often go without food or water.
Some suffer injuries including broken limbs but nothing is done to relieve their suffering.
Salina was calling for the UK government to act now and asked for people to sign an online petition.

urrently we cannot ban the practice because EU legislation won't allow us to.
Fair to say that successive UK governments have hidden behind this excuse.
Whilst this only effects less than 1% of animals sold for slaughter it's an horrendous practice.
Our own devolved parliament at Holyrood are opposed to any change as they say it would harm our farming industry.
Reason 955 why I hate the SNP.

You can sign the petition at Parliament Petitions.
It's number 200,205, search 'ban export of live animals' to bring it up.

In fairness from this side of the water regulations are pretty stringent and there are supposed to be adequate supplies of fodder and water,and veterinary supervision provided on the,boats. The problems are mostly in the country of destination,where the eu have no control.

A lot of these exported weanlings have been pampered from birth,under strict welfare codes,within the eu.

I agree it is appalling to see what is happening.

The worst offenders are Turkey but obviously the transporters must travel through a few countries to get there.
However the point of the petition is to get the UK to commit to a ban on exporting livestock for slaughter once we are free of the shackles of the EU.

A lot of these exported weanlings have been pampered from birth,under strict welfare codes,within the eu.

Yes that strict that they allow unweaned calves to be exported.