The Scottish government has made a partial U-turn on its support for cruel calf exports; as it has backtracked on some of its support for the cruel calf trade.
Currently, calves are being forced to endure journeys which last for up to 135 hours at a time. The journeys go from Scotland to Spain; these journeys are unnecessary and cruel.
Their Support For The Cruel Trade
For at least two years, the Scottish government has been defending the cruel live export trade in baby calves. Baby calves in Scotland are taken away from their mothers as you as just 3 weeks old. Then, while the baby calves have still been alive, they have been transported in gruelling, warm and cramped journeys to other parts of Europe and the middle east.
Calves who are weeks old, have been transported for up to 3 long days and found crying loudly while suckling on the bars of the lorries they are forced to travel in.
These long journeys are cruel on the baby calves, as they are just babies who have been ripped away from their mothers and forced on a long journey - these calves are trapped in dark, cramped and warm lorries, where they don't get a break for 23 hours or even days.
These long journeys are also cruel because the baby calves are not given any water or food on their journey. This causes cruel and unnecessary suffering, as calves end up going a day, or even days without food or water.
What also makes these journeys cruel for the baby calves, is that the journey will cause stress in the calves. All of these things result in unnecessary cruelty and suffering that should be outlawed today.
An Opportunity To Ban Animal Exports
Over the past few years, the Scottish government has defended cruel baby calf exports and refused to ban them; even though there has been a growing call for the Scottish government to ban this cruel trade.
Even up until June this year, they were defending the trade.
Today, we have an opportunity to ban the cruel animal export trade throughout the UK. The European Union allows the cruel animal export trade to happen. As a result, every day, animals suffer from cruel long journeys by being taken on long journeys just to be slaughtered.
The UK, including Scotland, has also allowed the cruel animal export trade to happen. However, now, there is hope that this could change within the UK, as the UK government has promised to ban live animal exports upon leaving the European Union.
Banning this cruel trade in animals would stop the suffering of animals. It would help create a kinder and more compassionate world for animals if we make the move to banning live animal exports. Both the UK government and the Scottish government has it within their power to create a kinder world for animals.
Why Did The Scottish Government U-Turn?
The Scottish Government and the UK government has been defending the cruel live exports of baby calves for the last 6 months. They have been doing this in a legal challenge brought forward by Compassion in World Farming, who took the Scottish government to court over the governments support of the cruel trade.
Both the Scottish government and UK government has defended this cruel trade which can result in baby calves not being given food or water for up to 23 hours, according to Compassion in World Farming.
Denying animals food and water for up to a day is barbaric and unnecessarily cruel. It's not how animals should be treated. This cruel trade has resulted in millions of British calves suffering cruel journeys from the UK to other parts of Europe, over the last few decades.
What Is The Future For Calves?
The Scottish government has agreed to stop live calf exports, for now.
But, until there is legislation to ban the cruel live calf trade, it's not legally banned yet. Therefore, the Scottish government saying that they will ban the cruel calf trade isn't law right now. For this trade to be banned, the Scottish government needs to pass legislation in the Scottish parliament which prohibits this cruel trade in animals.
According to Compassion in World Farming, the Scottish government has said that there will be a consultation to ban calf journeys which last over 9 hours, but this doesn't go far enough. Allowing baby calves to be ripped away from their mothers and forced to travel 9 hours in cramped lorries, is still cruelty and will still cause stress in the baby cows.
We need a full ban on this cruel trade. There isn't any excuse for this cruelty.
Not only that, we need reform in how we treat calves and mother cows. We need to create a kinder and more compassionate country and the world for animals, where their wellbeing is put before profits.
Our mistreatment of the animal world comes down to putting profit above all else - including the wellbeing of animals. When we put money over compassion and kindness, injustices and cruelty can happen. But, if we put kindness and compassion for all ahead of money, then we can create a better world for animals.
Our treatment of animals is not just important for them, but also us. The recent pandemic shows what happens when we mistreat animals - we suffer as a result too.
If we create a kinder world for animals; we create a kinder world for ourselves too. Transporting animals on long journeys is unnecessary and cruel for animals. Stopping this cruel trade will stop the unnecessary suffering that these animals go through.
It's time for our governments to stop this cruel trade once and for all.
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