Animal welfare during transport
This Government is committed to improving the welfare of animals. As long as animals are exported live we want to ensure their transportation is of high quality. The welfare of animals during transport is protected by EU legislation.
Regulation Introduction
“No person shall transport animals or cause animals to be transported in a way that is likely to cause injury or undue suffering to them” (Source: Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations and amending Directives).
In the UK we have always emphasised the need for animals to be transported in a way that would not cause injury or unnecessary suffering. This will continue. All persons who take animals on a journey, whatever the length, should always apply the following good transport practice:
- The journey is properly planned and time is kept to a minimum and the animals are checked and their needs met during the journey.
- The animals are fit to travel.
- The vehicle and loading and unloading facilities are designed, constructed and maintained to avoid injury and suffering.
- Those handling animals are trained or competent in the task and do not use violence or any methods likely to cause unnecessary fear, injury or suffering.
- Water, feed and rest are given to the animals as needed, and sufficient floor space and height is allowed.
Council Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations applies to all those involved with the transport of live vertebrate animals in connection with an economic activity i.e. a business or trade. This includes amongst others:
- livestock and equine hauliers;
- farmers; and
- commercial pet breeders.
The Regulation also applies to those working at:
- markets;
- assembly centres; and
- slaughterhouses.
The Regulation does not apply to the transport of animals where this is not in connection with economy activity. These journeys can be broadly described as those which are:
- not in the course of business or trade;
- not for hire or reward.
The Regulation is implemented in England by The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006, and by parallel legislation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Legislation
Council Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations sets out minimum standards for the welfare of animals during transport. The Regulation applies to the transport of all live vertebrate animals for the purposes of economic activity i.e. a business or trade and is implemented in England by The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 and by parallel legislation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- The welfare of Animals (Transport) England Order 2006 (PDF)
- Council Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations (PDF)
The transport of animals to and from markets, to slaughter, and particularly on export journeys, is a matter of some public concern. Government recognises this and ensures that the welfare of animals is protected during transport in line with compulsory EU legislation, as implemented by domestic legislation in England and the Devolved Administrations.
The Government is often urged to ban the exports of live animals for slaughter or further fattening. We would prefer to see meat (or germ plasm) exported rather than live animals, since animals would not be subjected to long periods in transit. But the clear legal position, confirmed by two past judgements of the European Court, is that this is a legitimate trade within the European Community and that restricting it or banning it could not be defended in law. Our policy is therefore to ensure full application of the EU rules on our territory, and, importantly, to encourage other member states to do the same.
Documentation renewal
Regulation 1/2005 requires those transporting animals in connection with an economic activity i.e. a business or trade, to be in possession of, inter alia, a transporter authorisation and, where appropriate, a certificate of vehicle approval.
These documents have a maximum lifecycle of five years and thus those who obtained them at the end of 2006 to coincide with the Regulation’s coming into force in January 2007 will need consider renewing them.
Further information on the renewal processes for both documents can be found on the Transporter Authorisation and the Vehicle Approval pages.
Key publications
The publications on this page aim to supplement the legislation by clarifying some of the requirements and also by setting down the best practice to be observed.
- Welfare of animals during Transport – This guidance document details the various aspects of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005 that have to be met.
- Road Vehicle (and Container) Certification in the UK – The scheme document sets down how vehicle inspection and approval will be carried out in the United Kingdom.
- Satellite Tracking guidance – This guidance document sets out information regarding the basic functionality of a satellite tracking system as set out in Council Regulation (EC) No. 1/2005.
These are living documents that will develop in light of experience implementing the Regulation. Please send any comments to: aw-transport@defra.gsi.gov.uk
- Welfare of animals during transport – General leaflet providing basic advice for farmers, hauliers and transporters of horses, farm livestock, poultry and game birds
- Livestock transport vehicles – A guide to best practice for vehicle ventilation
Advice for transporters on the transport of:
Enforcement
Primary responsibility for enforcement of welfare during transport legislation rests with local authorities. Their trading standards officials carry out welfare checks on animals and means of transport and take appropriate enforcement action up to and including prosecution. The Animal Health agency carries out enforcement checks at markets, ports, roadside and at supervised loadings of export consignments. They enforce compliance with journey times through checks of journey documentation.
If you have any reason for concern about the treatment of an animal during transport please bring it to the attention of the Local Authority (normally the Trading Standards Department) or Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency at your nearest Animal Health Office.
Review of Regulation 1/2005
The Regulation includes a provision for a review of its impact to be carried out within four years of it coming into force i.e. January 2011. The European Commission’s report on its review of the Regulation was published on 10 November 2011. The report and accompanying documentation can be found on the Commission’s website.
As expected, the report is purely factual and does not contain any proposals for legislative change. It concludes that the Regulation has had a beneficial impact on the welfare of animals during transport, however, it also acknowledges that ‘severe animal welfare problems during transport persist’. The Commission’s proposed solution to these problems involves adopting new implementing rules concerning satellite tracking systems; an increase in the number of inspections (where needed) to improve existing controls; better reporting on compliance by Member States; a study into the welfare of fish during transport; increased co-operation and communication between the competent authorities and NGOs, and, most crucially, the dissemination of Commission guidance on the interpretation of the Regulation and development of guides to good practice, which would help implement the latest scientific findings identified by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) in its own report issued in December 2010.
Animals travelling by air
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sets out the requirements for transporting animals by air. Information on air transport and container requirements can be found on the IATA website. Information on container requirements can be found under the IATA website on live animal regulations.