Long-distance livestock transport requires rest, water, and food stops to prevent exhaustion, injury, and death, but standards and enforcement vary widely.
Rest stops during livestock transport have the potential to either improve or worsen welfare depending on their quality. Animals unloaded into noisy, crowded facilities with poor water provision and rough handling may be better off remaining on the vehicle. In contrast, well-designed rest facilities with competent staff, clean water, appropriate feed, and low-stress handling genuinely support recovery. The gap between regulation and reality is wide: journey time limits are frequently exceeded, rest stop facilities are inadequately inspected, and trade routes through non-EU countries may involve no effective oversight at all.