Sharing expertise: Seminar on animal transport for police and authorities in Hesse
[Translate to English:] Iris Baumgärtner erklärt den Fachkräften, worauf sie bei der Kontrolle von Tiertransporten achten müssen.
For the second time this year, we were guests at the ‘Animal Transport’ seminar held by the Hessian University of Applied Sciences for Public Management and Security (HÖMS). Our project manager Iris Baumgärtner provided insights into the legal basis and challenges involved in transporting farmed animals.
The full-day seminar was aimed at around 25 experts, including police officers, a lawyer from Frankfurt Airport and official veterinarians. In addition to the transport of large and small animals and the illegal trade in dogs and cats, the seminar also focused on practical issues relating to the preservation of evidence and documentation.
We contributed to the event with a presentation on the legal basis for the transport of farmed animals. Our practical expertise in the control of animal transport met with great interest: How can the required floor space for animals be calculated? When is an animal considered fit for transport – and when is it not? These are all questions that participants deal with in their own work.
No emergency plans in place
One problem that is well known throughout Germany was raised time and again: what to do with injured animals or overloaded transports when there are hardly any suitable unloading facilities? In many places, there is a lack of accommodation for both farmed animals and confiscated dogs and cats, as many animal shelters are already overcrowded and there are hardly any empty stables.
It is often difficult to find a quick solution, especially in the case of overloaded transporters. In such cases, it is necessary to weigh up whether the transporters can continue their journey, for example, with a fine. One thing is clear: when it comes to animal transport violations, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
We have been contributing our knowledge to the HÖMS seminar for several years. For us, the exchange is just as enriching as it is for the participants. We learn first-hand about the problems that police and veterinary authorities deal with on a daily basis – and can contribute our expertise in a targeted manner to strengthen animal welfare on the road.
The high level of motivation and commitment among the participants shows how important such seminars are in practice – and how necessary it remains to improve the infrastructure for animal welfare in transport.
