Haulier was forced to allow the 247 calves on board to rest after risk it would exceed the legal maximum transport time.
We’re making fresh calls for a ban on the long-distance live export of animals, after a lorry transporting 247 calves was turned away from embarking on a delayed ship at Ramsgate Port.
The journey may have taken a gruelling 70 hours
A lorry transporting a large number of young calves set to sail overseas on a delayed ship was stopped on Thursday (10 January). We teamed with government officials to step in and ensure the exhausted animals were taken to a lairage to rest to ensure that the animals could rest before continuing their journey and avoid exceeding the legal maximum transport time.
Calf exports have recently resumed through Kent to the continent for the first time in five and a half years, with journeys beginning in Scotland and destined for Spain. It’s estimated that on this occasion the journey may have taken a gruelling 70 hours (including rest stops).
Current law states that calves must not be transported for more than nine hours without an hour rest period, and not longer than 21 hours before a 24-hour rest. The lorry had arrived at the Port of Ramsgate but because the ship it was destined to embark on was delayed, making the animals’ travel time exceed the legal limit, officials prevented the lorry from continuing the journey, and it was directed to a nearby lairage for the calves to rest.
Follow the link to read the article in full on the RSPCA website