Farmed Animals

Welfare of Animals in Transport

The transport of live animals is one of the most welfare-compromising stages of the food system, exposing animals to crowding, temperature extremes, exhaustion, and injury.

Key Facts

Billions of live animals are transported globally each year for trade and slaughter
EU regulations permit live cattle transport for up to 29 hours without rest
Long-distance live animal trade by sea can involve journeys of several weeks
Temperature extremes during transport cause significant mortality and suffering
Animals near slaughter are transported more frequently and at longer distances than regulations ideally allow

Welfare Considerations

Transport stress is cumulative — each additional hour adds physiological and psychological burden. Animals arrive at slaughter already stressed, injured, and depleted. Replacing long-distance live animal transport with chilled or frozen meat trade eliminates significant welfare suffering while maintaining economic value. Many welfare advocates consider ending live export one of the highest-impact achievable policy goals.

What You Can Do

Support campaigns to end long-distance live animal export in your country
Choose producers who slaughter near the point of rearing to reduce transport stress
Advocate for mandatory journey time limits and welfare monitoring in transport regulations
Support the development of mobile slaughter units that eliminate transport for farmed animals
Engage with retailers and food companies on their live transport and supply chain policies