Animal lovers and advocates around the world have a lot to celebrate right now -- the United Kingdom just made a
landmark move to protect millions of animals from being shipped like cargo just to be slaughtered in other countries.
Now, we're asking that the European Union continue the wave of welfare.
Sign the petition if you want to see live animal exports banned in the EU!"Live animal exports," which these journeys are commonly referred to as, are far more gruesome than one might expect. Confused, powerless, and soon-to-be-slaughtered animals are forced on these journeys and subjected to heartbreaking conditions. Animals are corralled into cramped, filthy spaces. They are roughly handled, often beaten, to comply with their captors, even so far as being grabbed and dragged by their legs or heads.
The ships or train cars these living, breathing creatures are forced into have poor ventilation and can reach extreme temperatures, leaving animals to suffer obscene levels of heat or cold. There is rarely enough food or water, and forget about veterinary care for the injuries and health complications many animals suffer. They will be confined in these conditions for the duration of the trek -- often multiple weeks at a time.
Inevitably, many of these beings die during transit. For those that manage to survive, a different death awaits them at the slaughtering house.That's why it's such good news that the United Kingdom has finally taken the initiative to ban these exports -- the animals raised there will never again be subjected to these tortures.
But animals elsewhere are left unprotected.
Millions of farmed animals are still being exported from the European Union annually. Not only do these animals still suffer from the usual live export horrors; there are numerous incidents in recent years that have led to mass death and suffering. In 2020,
14,000 sheep drowned in a cargo ship disaster in the Black Sea. In 2021, 1,600 cattle were forced to remain shipbound in the Mediterranean Sea for three months, only to be
slaughtered due to a disease outbreak.
This cycle of cruelty must end. The UK did its part; now its time for the EU to stand up for animals. Let's raise our voices together and demand compassion -- sign to ban live animal exports in the EU!