The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has launched a public consultation on the welfare of animals during transport in the European Union from 15 April to 10 June 2021.
The results of this consultation will be used to draft a scientific opinion, expected in the second half of 2022, identifying the existing hazards and animal welfare consequences of common transport practices (roll-on roll-off ferries, road and air) for six groups of animals: equids (horses, donkeys), bovines (cattle and calves), small ruminants (sheep and goats), pigs, domestic birds (chickens, laying hens, turkeys), and rabbits.
“The assessment will support the European Commission’s current review of animal welfare legislation”, says the EFSA.
The purpose of the consultation is to: - gather any available data and information related to the environment (temperature, humidity, ammonia levels) that animals experience during transport; - obtain stakeholders’ views on whether the mandate sent to the EFSA and the interpretation of its terms of reference cover relevant transport practices and areas of concern: - collect feedback on the practical obstacles that stand in the way of compliance with current animal welfare legislation when transporting animals.
The EFSA admits that the scientific literature on animal transport is “scarce”.
Link to the public consultation: https://bit.ly/3v7QSwp (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)