Leading animal protection charity OneKind has today written to Fergus Ewing MSP, Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity, to reconsider his position on live animal exports after Brexit.
This follows comments by the Cabinet Secretary that are reported in The Scotsman today, in which he said that the Scottish Government would not be taking part in any UK-wide scheme to prevent the exportation of live animals, and that:
“I will not support anything that creates further challenges or difficulty for our farming sector or puts Scottish agriculture at a disadvantage. Any such move would potentially do substantial harm to our quality livestock sector, not least farming in the Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney, as well as trade with Northern Ireland.”
In response, OneKind Director Harry Huyton said:
“These comments by the Cabinet Secretary are unsubstantiated and out of touch with the Scottish public, the majority of whom want to see higher animal welfare standards.
“A ban on the export of live animals outside of the UK would have no impact whatsoever on the ability of farmers on the islands to sell their livestock within the UK, nor would it prevent businesses selling meat products outside of the UK. It is designed simply to prevent the abhorrent practice of sending live sheep, cows and other animals on long journeys, in inhumane conditions where animals often give birth on lorries, suffer injuries and even die.”
Live animal exports are currently controlled by EU regulation, and the UK government is considering introducing a ban on live exports of animals for slaughter once the UK leaves the European Union.
Harry Huyton continued:
““Mr Ewing’s position not only risks Scotland being left behind, but it could result in producers in England using Scotland to circumvent a ban on live animal exports. The damage this would do to Scotland’s reputation is immeasurable.”
ENDS
Notes to editor:
- OneKind is a Scottish animal protection charity working to end cruelty to Scotland’s animals.
- The Scotsman, Brexit: Scotland-UK trade war looms over livestock exports
https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/brexit-scotland-uk-trade-war-looms-over-livestock-exports-1-4682590
Thanks to OneKind for opposing this. Moves on the part of the UK government to ban all live animal experts are welcome, and at long last a real step forward against this horrible practice. The Scottish Government, however, is apparently remaining IN FAVOUR OF this cruel system and consequently stays in the dark ages on the question of animal welfare. The SNP’s political strategy is to divide Scotland from the rest of the UK in every possible way. Is this yet another example of the grievance culture against Westminster? If it is, then the Nationalists are effectively backing the continuation of cruelty to animals to further their political ambitions, which, of course, are to take Scotland out of the UK. The idea that they would support live animal exports to further their political ambitions is disgusting and abhorrent. This will not go down well with the Scottish electorate.
Please step up your campaign!
Alison Kennedy
i hope scotland does support the live animal export ban, we have been protesting here in ramsgate for many many years to stop this awful trade, sheep can potentially betransported from scotland ,down thru england to ramsgate in appalling overcrowded conditions then shipped across the channel to calais and onwards to places like bulgaria and turkey without ever getting off the lorries and the eu deems this acceptable. its appalling
Please please continue to push on an all out ban of live animal export.It seems such an outdated practice, surely by now we should have learnt that we gain nothing in forcing animals to endure such an heinous journey. WHY would you transport an animal across Europe?
S.N.P continuing their support speaks volumes about their values. Mr Ewing’s main concern seems to be money, no word of animal welfare or compassion. In the past I have written to my MSP (SNP) with animal welfare concerns, he assured me that legislation was in place. No word of trying to improve welfare or giving the authorities more resources.
One quote for those feeling complacent.
“I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man” Mahatma Gandi
Why is the Scottish government so blinkered. Its to our shame we are one of the few countries still to condone snaring which is appalling and now live transport. Lets pack the minister in one of those transport and see what he thinks at the other end. Force him to put his money where his mouth is if he thinks its acceptable to the Scottish public. Shame on Scotland’s government.