Investigations by date:

09. April 2023

Investigation in Canada: Bouvry Slaughterhouse Feedlot

[Translate to English:] Stute mit überlangen Hufen, die stark lahmt

We have been observing the feedlot of the Bouvry slaughterhouse in Alberta regularly since 2012. Here, horses are fattened for six months before slaughter. At each inspection, we have found serious animal welfare violations. In April 2023, we are again on-site, together with our US partner Animals’ Angels, in order to verify if the situation for…

26. March 2023

Easter investigation in Italy: Long-distance transports of lambs

One of the repeated problems is the lack of headspace.

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…

14. March 2023

Ferdinand: Failure of the competent authorities to protect animals during transport

Ferdinand, Summer 2020.

Drei Jahre ist es her, dass der Jungbulle Ferdinand im Hafen von Cartagena, Spanien, schwer misshandelt wurde. Der Fall Ferdinand kam nur ans Licht, weil unsere Teams einschritten. Einer der wenigen Fälle, die bei Tierschutzverbrechen überhaupt vor Gericht verhandelt wurden.

28. February 2023

Round table in the EU Parliament: end in sight for live exports?

Brussels: We are demanding an end to live exports.

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…

08. February 2023

Investigation in France: Calves remain hungry at EU supply station (control post)

Our team is inspecting the condition of the young animals and the loading situation.

The police stop a truck with 200 hungry calves near Besancon (France). This police action is possible due to our cooperation with the French NGO Welfarm and the EU politician Caroline Roose from the Green party.

The night before our investigation team observes the calves from the Czech Republic being unloaded at a supply station in the Alsace.…

31. January 2023

Investigation with the Polish Road Transport Inspection (ITD)

Together with the Polish Road Transportation Inspection (ITD) our team is on the lookout for live transports.

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…

31. December 2022

Investigation: Exports of live animals to Lybia

[Translate to English:] Photo 1 Spanish bull in Port of Misurata.

December 2022 to July 2023 | Libya

For a year we investigate the export of EU animals to Libya. Because of the difficult working environment, we contract a Libyan man to investigate the transport, handling and slaughtering of EU animals in Libya. During this time, he visited three animal markets where the EU sheep are sold, a slaughtering site…

31. December 2022

Successful closure for our projects in Poland

A decade working for the animals: Bogdan, Anna, Nadja, Michal. Vorne Magda, Katarzyna.

It was an act of strength, a continuous commitment for the animals. When we started we could not foresee how long it would take. We started the first of our projects in Poland more than a decade ago: inspection of the horse market in Bodzentyn in the South of Warsaw in a poor region with around 20,000 animal husbandries. Almost every house had a…

30. December 2022

Poland | Swietokrzyskie | Monthly report December: Last days of our Farm Animal Service Team

Marcinkow: The last day of work for our farriers: Michal and Bogan.

Our first visit this month starts on a farm in Szerzawy. Here, we are trimming the hooves of three horses. Recently, the owner bought a mare that has a problem with shortened tendons; therefore, she requires special trimming. Another mare is suffering from hoof canker, and during the trimming, one of her hooves bleeds a lot. To protect the wound,…