For years, we have been documenting the cruel conditions of live exports of European animals to third countries via sea from the Spanish port of Cartagena. In the second half of June, we documented together with our partner organisations Welfarm and Animals International, the loading of sheep once again. The animals were loaded onto the vessels…

From the outside, the Spanish port of Cartagena may look like any other port. Trucks, containers and ships rushing back and forth. But behind the facade hides a cruel business. Besides Tarragona, Cartagena is the only port in Spain involved in the export of live animals.

Spain is the largest exporter of live cattle in Europe and the second largest…

Our investigation team is once again supporting the Polish Road Transport Police (ITD) during live transport inspections. This time, we are working through the night. In just eight hours, we inspect seven trucks (one of which is empty). Among them are three international live transporters carrying piglets for fattening from Denmark to Poland. All…

We have been invited for the sixth year in a row to hold a police seminar in Winsen (Germany) to  train police officers on animal welfare issues related to long-distance transports. The seminar consists of a theoretical part and a practical part involving animal transport inspections on the German highways A1, A7, and A39 in Lower Saxony.

The 17…

Our investigative teams are on the road once again, this time to inspect trucks carrying lambs to Italy for Easter. Since 2016, we have repeatedly observed the same violations committed by the same transport companies.

This time, we have requested the support of the Italian police five times and were able to assist in four inspections. We have…

In 2020, the injured bull Ferdinand was supposed to be loaded onto a substandard livestock vessel at the port of Cartagena, Spain. However, he was unfit for travel, unable to move and heavily mistreated. Workers subjected him to prolonged electric shocks and kicking. Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) filed a complaint against the transport company…

At the invitation of the EU politician Thomas Waitz, our team makes its way to the EU Parliament in Brussels. There we will discuss the requirements for the new EU animal transport regulation at a round table with politicians from all parties and other animal welfare organisations. When we started with our investigations, we would never have dared…

Our team is driving to Wroclaw in Western Poland to support the Road Transport Inspection (ITD) with the inspection of live transports in this area. Surprisingly, this time we do not get to inspect any truck with animals on board. Moreover, we do not observe a single livestock truck (even an empty one) for two consecutive days.

It may seem…