Controversial cattle transport: Animal rights activists harshly criticize and demand a ban

The court's enforced permission to transport cattle from Miesbach to Kazakhstan also calls on animal rights activists.

You sharply criticize the decision.

Miesbach

- The topicality has overtaken Johanna Ecker-Schotte - three times in a row.

First, the chairwoman of the Tegernseer Tal animal welfare association had to cancel the event on the subject of animal transports due to corona, which was planned for May 2020 in cooperation with the Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) and the Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV), then the pandemic meant that the catch-up date in November also fell through.

Another low blow followed on Thursday: The Bavarian Administrative Court forced the Miesbach Veterinary Office to approve the transport of 31 pregnant calves from Miesbach via Hungary to Kazakhstan - despite doubts about compliance with animal welfare (we reported).

"We are extremely upset and disappointed that the Miesbacher Zuchtverband has launched this controversial transport," said Ecker-Schotte in a statement.

The court apparently rated the economic interests of the carrier as higher.

The result: Ecker-Schotte believes that what happens in Hungary after the 30-day quarantine required by Kazakhstan and whether this is adhered to at all can no longer be tracked.

Nor whether the temperature requirements of zero to 30 degrees set in an EU regulation with a tolerance of five degrees are not fallen below on a wintry trip to Kazakhstan.

Furthermore, the EU Commission has known for a long time "that the implementation of the EU animal welfare transport regulation in Hungary is problematic and is being questioned".

This means that the court's decision is "of course a loophole for the transport company".

Ecker-Schotte welcomes the move by Bavaria's Environment Minister Thorsten Glauber to establish uniform rules for animal transports to third countries at EU level.

Animal protection has been anchored in the Basic Law as a state goal since 2002.

The new decree of the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment from October 2020 was intended to precisely prevent a deterioration in animal welfare in the case of said exports from being accepted.

The EU transport regulation dates from 2005 and urgently needs to be reworked.

“Animal transports to non-European third countries for days and weeks must be a thing of the past,” demands Ecker-Schotte.

Especially in the Miesbacher Land eco-model region.

Animal welfare is also the top criterion for the district chairman of the Bavarian Farmers' Association, Johann Hacklinger.

Hacklinger does not believe in a general ban.

“We farmers also need these markets.” Rather, the transports must be closely monitored and transparently documented in order to ensure compliance with animal welfare.

"Black sheep" would have to be withdrawn from circulation, clarifies Hacklinger.

In general, however, it is better to allow direct transport.

"Then you can control the entire process."

so called