Video footage obtained on a large blood farm with six restraint boxes shows the everyday treatment of blood mares during blood extraction. The entire procedure, lasting three hours in total, is stressful for the semi-wild horses.

The mares and foals are herded from the pasture to the blood collection site with honking cars, shouting people and…

The atmosphere during our inspections at the cattle market in Bodzentyn is very unpleasant this month. We observe farmers who are trying to sell the same animals (mainly claves) since weeks. The farmers are complaining about very low prices. Therefore, they prefer to take the animals back home instead of selling them for cheap. Our team is being…

This month, our Farm Animal Service (FAS) team starts their work by trimming the hooves of two young horses in Rzepin. Since the owner has been eagerly practising with his horses to pick up their legs, the trimming of the hooves goes very smoothly this time.

Next, our team is driving to Sniadka. There, a horse was diagnosed with scabies – a skin…

In July, our Farm Animal Service (FAS) team is very busy again. We are starting our work by visiting two farms in Szerzawy. On the first farm, we notice that the owner did install many stable improvements since our last visit. He fixed one of the stable doors and whitened the walls. As a reward we trim hooves of his mare. On the next farm, we are…

Our team is inspecting the cattle market in Bodzentyn. Lately, mainly young cattle are being brought to the market for sale. During all our inspection days, the number of animals remains low and does not exceed 150 animals. The animals that we see are all in good condition. There are no animal welfare violations to report.

Our team encounters a…

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…

In June, our Farm Animal Service (FAS) team is in high demand. After the information spread that our team is back at work again after a COVID-19 related break, our phone is ringing non-stop.  

Our first visit this month is on a farm in Gosciecin. A limping horse urgently needs our help. Our farriers immediately spot an abscess in the hoof and…

During our market inspections in June we see less cattle than usual. The average number of animals present at the market does not exceed 150. We suspect that this could be related to the high temperatures exceeding 30˚C and more. Our team encounters the same situation at the bird’s market which was recently re-opened in Bodzentyn. Also, here fewer…

At the beginning of June, our team is travelling to Croatia. We spend more than a week close to the port of Raša. It one of the exit ports of live animals to non-European countries.

After sending several complaints to the authorities the EU-Commission carried out an audit of the port in 2018. Like our investigators in the years before, the EU…