RSPCA call for live transport boat licence to be revoked

Tuesday, 4 October 2011 11:25 AM

The RSPCA is calling for a boat being used to transport animals from the UK to France to have its licence revoked.

The Joline has been transporting calves and sheep from Ramsgate in Kent since May this year (2011) after a livestock ramp at Dover port was damaged.

The RSPCA has serious concerns about the boat – which has been photographed with pictures of popular children’s character Shaun the Sheep on the funnels.

Julia Wrathall, head of the RSPCA’s farm animal science team, said: “The RSPCA is completely opposed to the long-distance transport of live animals for further fattening and slaughter because it is unnecessary and can result in serious stress and suffering.

“Research has shown that animals, particularly calves under four-weeks-old, can suffer fatigue, dehydration, distress and in extreme cases death during long journeys, particularly as the law allows them to travel at temperatures up to 35 degrees.

“The RSPCA has very serious concerns about the Joline as it has an average speed of just six knots (7mph) and has taken up to six hours to get from Ramsgate to Calais – almost double the journey time from Dover.

“The ship has a very shallow bottom making it unsteady in rough sea conditions and further causing suffering to animals onboard, which legally could be calves as young as 14-days-old.

“The design of the ship coupled with the journey time and the likelihood that sea conditions will worsen over winter, means that the Joline is completely unsuitable and should not be used to transport animals.”

In the 1990s about 500,000 calves a year were being transported from the UK to the continent but trade stopped for a decade in 1996 due to fears of spreading BSE and later in 2008 the Dutch imposed an import ban on British calves due to fears over Bovine TB.

The RSPCA has been successfully working with other charities, retailers and industry over the past five years to find alternatives to transporting male dairy calves to Europe, such as producing higher welfare rose veal and beef.

Live trade started again in May 2006 with Animal Health figures showing in 2009 that 437,085 live animals were transported from the UK for further fattening and slaughter – some destined to be reared in conditions which would be illegal in the UK.

The Latvian-registered roll-on roll-off boat was originally built to transport tanks across rivers and has been upgraded for ocean transit.

Shipping data has shown that the Joline has taken up to six hours to cross the channel from Ramsgate.

The legal journey time for unweaned calves is nine hours with an hour rest and then a further nine hours travel. For sheep can travel for 14 hours with an hour rest and another 14 hours travel. The rest stop is onboard the lorry but it cannot be on the boat.

Julia Wrathall said: “The boat already has a long journey time across the channel, any hold-up in port or during the trip could put the hauliers in danger of breaking EU laws governing journey times as well as increasing the risk of welfare problems for the animals onboard.”

The RSPCA is calling for an eight-hour journey time limit when live transport rules are reviewed by the EU later this year (2011).

We also believe animals should be slaughtered as close to their point of origin as possible and are in favour of a carcass-only trade.

The RSPCA is calling on Animal Health to revoke the boat’s licence to carry live animals and for campaigners to visit the RSPCA website to support a petition (www.rspca.org.uk/getinvolved/campaigns/livetransport/-/article/CAM_livetransportation) calling for a maximum eight hour journey time.

Notes to editors

— The RV Joline is Latvian-registered – not to be confused with two Dutch registered boats of the same name. It is 48 metres long by 15 meters wide and can carry six articulated lorries. It has a top speed of 9.6 knots and an average speed of 6 knots. Shipping data and crossing times have come from www.marinetraffic.com and www.shipais.com

— The boat is owned and operated by Dutch national John Onderwater

— The long distance transport of animals is covered by EU regulations which governs journey times for different species and ages of animals, whether animals are fit to travel and provisions of bedding, food, water and rest breaks.

— Aardman Animation’s legal team has been alerted to the fact the Shaun the Sheep image was used on the boat.

RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS
Press office direct lines: 0300 123 0244/0288 Fax: 0303 123 0099
Duty press officer (evenings and weekends) Tel 08448 222888 and ask for pager number 828825
Email: press@rspca.org.uk Website: www.rspca.org.uk

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• animal welfare