Dummy cow at the Brandenburg Gate: Protest against painful animal transport!

Dummy cow at the Brandenburg Gate: Protest against painful animal transport!

What a tremendous sight! An impressive cow dummy, four meters high, swings in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin today. This impressive campaign was launched by the animal protection activists from Four Paws to draw attention to the dramatic suffering of animals, which is particularly highlighted on this day, the International Day Against Animal Transport. The work of art was installed with a crane, and the message is clear: a national ban on transporting live animals to countries outside the European Union is urgently needed.

Four Paws criticizes the frequent accidents and the inhumane fate of animals that die during transport. The plight of animal transport is alarming, especially when we look at the numbers of transport times. For example, according to EU regulations, pigs can be transported for up to 24 hours without a break, while cattle can be transported for up to 29 hours - including a single hour break! There are also no time limits by sea, meaning animals can be accommodated for up to several weeks without sufficient food and water. A situation that not only causes outrage among animal lovers, but also among animal protection organizations such as Vier Pfoten, which denounce the grievances and push for the need for a change in the law.

Shocking individual fates and political responsibility

But that's not the only sad story from the transport industry. There was further uproar when 69 pregnant cattle were stranded in Brandenburg on the border with Türkiye. After more than two weeks of martyrdom, many of the animals ultimately fell victim to the horror. Turkish veterinarians stopped the transport because Brandenburg has been an epidemic area because of bluetongue disease since August. Due to legal requirements, it was impossible to return the animals to the EU, as the German Animal Welfare Association reported.

The President of the Animal Welfare Association, Thomas Schröder, has clearly spoken out against the current situation. He criticizes the inadequate bureaucracy and the responsibilities between the different levels of government, which only worsen the situation for animals. In the coming weeks, the German Bundestag plans to pass the new animal protection law. But the draft that is currently on the table does not contain a ban on transporting live animals to third countries. Schröder is resolutely calling on politicians, especially from the ranks of the SPD, Alliance 90/The Greens and the FDP, to integrate this long-overdue regulation.

The path to a better future

The demand for more transparency and better prosecution of animal welfare violations is becoming louder and louder. Four Paws and other organizations are doing everything they can to end the cruel practices surrounding animal transport. They also appeal to the population to actively support animal protection. Donations like those offered on the Four Paws platform can help finance important projects and draw attention to urgent problems.

It's time we speak up for the voice of animals and make such practices a thing of the past. Anyone who remains interested in the welfare of animals can take part in various campaigns or get involved through their own fundraising.