In March 2021, the livestock carrier ELBEIK made international headlines: with almost 1,800 young bulls on board, the vessel wandered the Mediterranean for almost three months. The animals were detained on the ELBEIK because of suspected bluetongue virus. 179 animals did not survive the cruel transport, the remaining animals were taken to the…

Our team covertly trails a German transporter carrying unweaned calves to Spain. We are accompanied by an official veterinarian. After eight hours the drivers stopp in France to supply the calves with electrolyte solution. The majority of the calves is using the mobile drinking system.

We are positively surprised to observe for the first time the…

The port of Cartagena in Spain is one of the most important export ports. From there, European animals are transported to countries outside the EU. In mid-June, our team observes the loading of bovine animals onto export ships. Our partner organisations Animals International and Verein Gegen Tierfabriken are with us.

The vessels JULIA AK (built…

Our team trails a Polish transporter loaded with 232 calves from Czech Republic. The calves have not been weaned yet. This means that they are still reliant on milk. During a stop close to the German border we inspect the loading conditions of the calves. The truck is equipped with a drinking system for pigs. This not appropriate to provide liquids…

Our team is investigating several fattening farms together with our partner organisation, Animals International, and two Members of the European Parliament: Thomas Waitz, and Caroline Roose. Spain is the biggest exporter of cattle and the second biggest exporter of sheep to third countries in the EU. Spain exports most animals by sea.

We inspect…

In the beginning of June, our investigation team is travelling to Cartagena in Spain. Cartagena is one of the main EU exit ports for live animals that are sent via sea to non-European countries.  

In 2018, an audit carried out by the EU Commission discovered various animal welfare violations during the loading of animals from trucks onto vessels…

On our last investigation day, we observe further loadings of live animals in the Spanish port of Cartagena. Already in the past three days, our teams have documented several animal welfare violations when animals were loaded from trucks onto livestock carriers.

As in the previous days, the daily temperature rises above 30 degrees Celsius. Today…

Today our teams are investigating the Spanish port area of ​​Cartagena again. Together with our partner organisations Welfarm and Animals International, we want to monitor the loading of European animals onto livestock carriers and check whether the regulation on animal welfare during transport is respected.

We see that the vessels AI FAROUK and…

It is the second day of our investigation in the Spanish port of Cartagena. Together with our partner organisations Welfarm and Animals International, we want to monitor the loading process of European animals onto livestock vessels.

Today, only the vessels ETAB and SARAH M are being loaded with sheep, lambs, and bulls. The docking places of the…