Large majority of Danes want a ban: Why do politicians hesitate?
78 percent want it no longer to be valid – but nothing has happened.
Right now reading others
Many Danes wrinkle the brows when the idea of long animal transports emerges.
A lot of people, actually.
A new study shows that an overwhelming majority – 78 % – wants a stop for transporting live animals for more than eight hours.
Desirable? Yes, but the politicians only have the daily attention when the topic engages broad sections of the population.
It writes the Animal Protection in one press release.
The study from Animal Protection shows that the resistance to long transports not only comes from certain groups – no, here people are across gender, age, geography and party and agree that animal welfare should be emphasized. « It is a strong signal from the Danish population that is not to be mistaken, » says Britta Riis, director of Animal Protection, who calls on the government to take the matter seriously on the upcoming EU presidency.
The proponents receive support from a surprising community: Whether you vote blue, red or yellow, you want to stop animal -dull transport.
« It is rare for the population to agree on a topic, » Riis points out, emphasizing that the animal welfare campaign is no longer a niche but a folk cause.
EU audit in sight-Denmark at the forefront
From July 1, Denmark will take over the EU Presidency-just as Member States are working to update the rules for animal transport. The current set of rules adopted in 2005 allows, among other things, that pigs are sent well above the limit of eight hours – namely up to 24 hours without the requirement of rest or breaks. This is in stark contrast to the requirement that transport « should be limited as far as possible ».
Exports have exploded despite – or perhaps precisely because of – the old rules. Among other things, last year Denmark broke a record with no less than 13 million pigs transported for more than eight hours, according to new access to documents. In total, the export of live pigs has rounded up 16.7 million units – of which about 500,000 to countries outside the EU such as Malaysia and Brazil.
Climate Battery gets animal welfare as a centerpiece
Christiansborg politicians now get warm hands up to the presidency. If you have to choose the climate agenda, agreement on social policy or animal welfare, then a lot points to the latter. The critics of the agricultural export model are already pointing the fingers of pig producers who utilize existing rules to send animals out on long, stressful journeys. The following decades, pig exports have grown with exports – and with the population’s resistance as contrast.
The members of the Folketing must now prioritize. Should the EU law be changed to a maximum limit of eight hours? The population has spoken – now we are waiting for the politicians.
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