Viva! opposes live animal transport on international awareness day

Media release: Vegans oppose live animal transport on international awareness day

When: 11am Thursday 14 June 2018
Where: 5 Union Street, Bath BA1 1RS

This month sees the launch of International Stop Live Transport Awareness Day, combining efforts from over 100 groups, 30 countries and 6 continents, all taking place on Thursday 14 June. The event aims to unite groups and individuals across the world in making a stand and opposing the trade in, and long distance transportation of, live animals. Local animal welfare groups Bath Animal Save and Bristol Animal Save are joining forces with Bristol-based vegan charity Viva! to organise a day of action supporting the event in Bath city centre.

Those involved will wear chicken masks and show video footage captured by Viva! and Bath Animal Save outside local Bath slaughter house, Alec Jarrett Ltd. Organisers plan to distribute information on how to switch to a vegan diet and ways to support the movement.

Each year, millions of live animals are transported thousands of kilometres, without sufficient food, water or rest. Animals are regularly transported from countries with animal protection laws to those with none, facing terrible conditions both during transport and at their final destination, slaughter.

Severe overcrowding prevents animals from lying down, which poses risks to animals which that may be too sick or weak to stand, including injuries or being trampled to death.

Transport trucks can be driven through various countries and experience dramatically fluctuating temperatures. It is common for animals to endure blistering heat and sub-zero temperatures in one journey, which can result in dehydration and sometimes often death.

The final chapter of all farmed animals lives is slaughter. Humans send them to their grisly end on poorly equipped and overcrowded transport vehicles, often without adequate access to food or water. Just like humans, animals can feel pain, anxiety, stress and exhaustion. Live transport conditions are notoriously poor and often result in animals suffering such trauma.

Viva!’s founder and director, Juliet Gellatley, explains why she is supporting this global day of action:

“The live transport industry is one full of secrecy and deliberately hidden from the public eye. Animals are transported in shocking conditions just so their flesh can be kept ‘fresh’ for it’s arrival at the slaughterhouse.

Our undercover investigations expose the atrocities that take place inside British factory farms – forcing the public to face facts about where their food comes from. The fact that the animals are forced to ensure short, miserable lives in these farms only to be sent to their death in such horrific conditions sends a clear and simple message: this industry has no respect for these animals or their welfare.

Viva! are in support of this global day of action because we feel it is our duty to show the world the horrific journey millions of helpless animals are taken on just to keep this industry afloat. Shortly after reaching their final destination they are slaughtered.

Animals are sentient beings and feel pain and stress just like we do. The only way to end this vicious cycle of pain, misery and suffering is to stop eating animals and go vegan.”

www.somersetlive.co.uk/in-your-area/masked-animal-rights-campaigners-take-1645167

ENDS information: 

For more information about this event or for further comment please contact Siobhan Dolan on 0117 944 1000 or email Siobhan@viva.org.uk.

If you would like to attend the event please contact campaigns@viva.org.uk or visit the Facebook event page www.facebook.com/events/2042559592732803/ .

Find out more about Stop Live Transport Awareness Day: https://stoplivetransport.org/