Lib Dem victory in campaign to stop horse cruelty

Liz Lynne MEP for the West Midlands has welcomed news that her long campaign to end cruelty suffered by horses being transported long distance for slaughter has been adopted by the European Parliament at Strasbourg.

Her written declaration calling for tougher action to enforce the law and stop cruelty was signed by more than 369 Euro MPs from all over Europe, a majority of MEPs, so it has now been adopted. The declaration, supported by World Horse Welfare, was launched before Christmas to highlight the scandalous suffering endured by many horses as they are moved in lorries and trailers.

Liz said: "This is very good news for everyone campaigning to stop animal cruelty in Europe. The European Parliament has agreed with a petition signed by 120,000 citizens to demand action to end this appalling and unnecessary suffering of horses.

"Euro MPs from all parties have looked at the evidence uncovered by charities that EU rules meant to protect the horses during long distance transport are being flouted, resulting in appalling cruelty."

Among the abuses uncovered were examples of horses being denied rest stops, packed like sardines into steel lorries where temperatures can be above 40 degrees and not being properly fed and watered. Some of the horses suffer terrible injury or are dead on arrival at their destination.

Liz stressed that the key problem is lack of enforcement of existing rules, not a need for new laws.

Supporting Liz Lynne's campaign, Scottish MEP George Lyon put forward a number of key amendments to the Animal Welfare report before the European Agriculture Committee, calling for the removal of proposals for new rules.

He demanded that the EU Commission concentrate on enforcing the current rules, updated in 2005, as the most effective way of improving the welfare of animals in transport. He also called for common animal welfare standards across Europe to apply to third country imports as well.

Commenting, George Lyon said: "Improving animal welfare across Europe is very important but the Commission must realise that the key issue is not more rules and regulations but enforcing the current ones, especially for transport. The Commission must get tough with EU countries that fail to properly enforce the law. There are still too many horror stories of pigs and horses being transported across Europe with no food, water or rest stops because of a failure to police the trade properly."

From "Lib Dem Eurofile" No. 3, March 2010.

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