Slaughtered in Turkey

Pregnant cattle in a truck: drama ends in bloodshed

The animals had been traveling east from Germany since September. They had to wait four weeks at the border on the small, dirty loading area until they met a cruel death.

(Bild: Animals‘ Angels, Animal Welfare Foundation, Karremann, Krone KREATIV)

Dead calves, emaciated animals and apparently haphazard authorities. In recent weeks, a drama unfolded during a long-distance transport of breeding cattle - we reported. The ordeal has now ended in Turkey in the cruelest possible way: All the cattle were slaughtered without anesthesia. 

"It is high time that these disgusting animal transports were finally stopped," says "Krone" animal welfare expert Maggie Entenfellner, shocked by this new, particularly cruel incident. 

In mid-September, two livestock trucks carrying almost 70 pregnant cows were stranded in the Bulgaria-Turkey border region. The onward journey was refused because the area of origin of the animals (Brandenburg in Germany) was subsequently declared an affected zone for bluetongue. This viral disease can occur in ruminants, but is not transmissible to humans.

It is appalling what is being done to animals here!

(Bild: Animals‘ Angels, Animal Welfare Foundation, Karremann, Krone KREATIV)

Calves had no chance
What happened next is simply scandalous! The animals were simply left on the transporter. According to information from the animal welfare organizations "Animal Welfare Foundation" and "Animal Angels", they were standing ankle-deep in their own excrement, had not been unloaded and were already severely emaciated. During this time and under these unspeakable circumstances, several calves were born that had no chance of survival. 

Cruel procedure
The conditions for the animals on the transporters worsened with each passing day. Although they were fed and watered, the care was inadequate due to their advanced pregnancy. In addition, the transporters were not cleaned, which led to catastrophic hygiene conditions. 

Slaughtered without anesthesia
The "Krone" reaches Iris Baumgärtner from the Animal Welfare Foundation on the phone, she reports on her impressions on site. "The German authorities ordered the animals to be euthanized by October 13. But it was not until the evening of October 14 that the animals were transported to the slaughterhouse near the border in Edirne. Many cows and newborn calves had already died on the transporters. On October 15, the animals were slaughtered without any anesthesia. Animals that had already died were disposed of in a landfill site."

This type of slaughter is not only extremely painful for the cows, the unborn calves also suffocate in agony in the womb of the dying mother animal. A form of euthanasia in which the unborn calves are euthanized together with the mother would have been a more humane way of killing them. But this was apparently not considered. 

Emaciated, no room to lie down - the suffering was immeasurable!

(Bild: Animal Welfare Foundation )

"Austria also sends pregnant cows to Turkey and other third countries."

Maggie Entenfellner, „Krone“ Tierecke

Bild: krone.tv

Urgent call for a transport stop
Animal welfare organizations such as "Animals' Angels" and "Animal Welfare Foundation" have long been calling for an immediate end to animal transports to Turkey. The "Krone" also tirelessly draws attention to the great animal suffering that is apparently still accepted by many.

"A case like this can also happen with animal transports that originate from Austria. We also send pregnant cows to Turkey and other third countries. It is incomprehensible that certain politicians are still standing by and doing nothing," says "Krone" animal corner manager Maggie Entenfellner, appalled by this latest case.