RSPCA calls for end to export as 45 animals die in sheep fiasco at port 45 animals dead
The RSPCA is tonight calling for an immediate suspension of the live transport of animals from Ramsgate Port following a fiasco today in which two sheep drowned, two were put to sleep due to injuries and another 41 are being shot as they are severely lame.
A lorry loaded with four tiers of sheep was stopped at the port this morning and declared to be unfit to travel due to faults to the vehicle and the sheep had to be unloaded while the transporters tried to get another lorry. It was the same lorry that was declared unfit to travel just last month. It has had two further failures at previous visits.
Today one sheep had a broken leg and another was also injured and they were put to sleep on veterinary advice.
In a further tragedy, sheep were loaded into an area where the floor then collapsed – six sheep fell into water and four were rescued by nearby RSPCA officers, but two drowned.
A vet then inspected all the sheep and found that a further 41 were lame and so these animals are being shot.
It is understood that two French lorry drivers were arrested at the scene.
RSPCA chief executive Gavin Grant said :"This trade needs to stop right now. We told the port authorities right from the start that they did not have the facilities to handle live exports safely. The RSPCA has been warning that a significant welfare incident like this could lead to tragedy for the animals and now it has. Early this summer we sent a report to the local authority warning that this would happen."
Ramsgate is the only British port currently bein used for shipping animals abroad for further fattening and slaughter.
The RSPCA has fought against this trade for well over 100 years. "If meat needs to go to the Continent then it should be on the hook, not on the hoof, and today cruelly illustrates that this appalling trade needs to cease immediately," added Gavin.
Gavin will be meeting with Government ministers first thing tomorrow morning to discuss the issue.
-ends-
Note to editors:
A lorry loaded with was turned away from the Port of Ramsgate on August 30th because it was not fit to travel.
The lorry had arrived to go out on the Jolene sailing from Ramsgate to France but when checked by the RSPCA, Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency and the police the lorry was found to have a broken ramp, partition gates not fitted properly and the tyre had a blow-out and the replacement was not useable.
The sheep were not able to reach their drinkers in the lorry, so that had to be rectified straight away.
The lorry driver had to wait for the tyre to be replaced before turning back to where it had come north of the M25.
-01.png){kind=spacer}