Campaigns Against Live Exports Continue
UK - The Royal Society for the Protection of Animals, Thanet Council and Compassion in World Farming have all pledged zero tolerance to breaches of animal welfare or transport laws at the port of Ramsgate where the trade in animal exports continues.
27 March 2012
2 minute read
Gavin Grant, chief executive of the RSPCA and trustee Daphne Harris, met with leaders of Thanet District Council, which owns the port, Compassion in World Farming and campaigners to discuss how to end the trade.
Mr Grant said: "There will be zero tolerance of animal abuse from the Port of Ramsgate. We will be putting together a programme of work to ensure this happens and give due notice to the hauliers and shippers that if we find causes of animal abuse we will prosecute them.
"The reality is that animals, sometimes just weeks-old, are being shipped out of Ramsgate to face long journeys across Europe only to be slaughtered or reared in conditions which could be illegal here.
"The RSPCA, Thanet District Council, the people of this community and country do not support this trade.
"Sadly it is still legal - something we want to change. The RSPCA is going to work with all of these groups to ensure that animals are not abused while this trade continues.
"Ramsgate is such a beautiful place but with this ugly stain upon it. We’d like to see an end to this trade, tomorrow wouldn’t be too soon."
Almost 400 MEPs have supported a written declaration calling for a maximum eight hour journey time across the European Union which will put pressure on the European Commission to reconsider the current live transport rules.
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