After four weeks, the transport of 69 pregnant cows from Germany ended in a tragedy. Animals' Angels and our team are on the front line, unable to prevent this tragedy from unfolding. Nevertheless, we must document the suffering of these animals and ensure that their suffering does not go unnoticed and that those responsible are held to account.

November 24-28, 2023 | Turkey | Cattle Transports to Iraq

In collaboration with Animals' Angels, our team tracked three cattle transporters, whose license plates were provided by an informant. Our journey spanned over 35 hours across Turkey, through the snow-covered Taurus Mountains, and along the Syrian border to the Harbur/Iraq border. We were…

November 22-28, 2023 | Turkey | Kapikule | Animal Transport Inspections at the Turkish Border

Our teams once again conducted inspections of animal transports at the Turkish border in Kapikule. A total of 11 transporters were checked, mainly carrying cattle from Germany, Austria, Denmark, and the Czech Republic.

In theory, we should not encounter…

At the beginning of July, our team is on investigation in Kapikule, the Turkish side of the EU's external border. Another team is stationed on the Bulgarian side of the border. During the next days, our team will inspect live transports from the EU en route to Turkey. This time, we are accompanied by the EU politicians, Anja Hazekamp and Tilly…

Investigation Day 1 – 30. June 2021 

Today, our team arrives in the Bulgarian village Kapitan Andreevo. The village is located on the EU's external border with Turkey. During our investigation the temperatures are supposed to rise above 30°C. According to the EU regulation 1/2005 it is forbidden to transport animals in extreme weather. Our teams…

Our team is in Bulgaria in the village of Kapitan Andreevo which marks the external border of the EU with Turkey. This is the tenth year in a row that our teams have been on the lookout for animal transports in extreme temperatures. During this investigation we inspect 28 animal transporters in total. The vehicles that leave the exit point of…

Only one truck with animals crosses the Turkish border today. It is loaded with young bulls from Romania. They are unloaded at a nearby stable to be watered and fed for a few hours. The animals are very thirsty and immediately start fighting for access to the water trough.

In the late afternoon, our team crosses the border in order to check if…

The weather forecast predicts temperatures of 39°C at the Turkish border for today. This is the first day since we started observing this border in 2010 that we do not see any animal trucks crossing the border. We are satisfied that finally our minimum demand that no animals are transported in hot weather is fulfilled, at least for today.

Our team starts to inspect animal trucks from the EU entering Turkey at the border of Kapikule. Close to the border crossing, we see young bulls with Austrian ear tags in a private stable. For one day, they have been stuck inside the border and for another one at this stable due to problems with their documents. Six other trucks with Austrian…