When will they ban the live transport of animals for slaughter?

I respond to report on page 9 and Sussex Express comments in Opinion column of Sussex Express March 15.

I sympathise with farmer Mike Lunn in his anxiety at causing unnecessary distress to his animals due to the closure of the nearby abattoir.

I hope Defra secretary Michael Gove will heed this situation as yet another case where it is imperative to act urgently in enforcing firm legislation to prevent the continued suffering of livestock during transport, also taking into account the environmental impact of unnecessary travel.

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Mr Gove has already promised to legislate for a total ban on the live export of animals for slaughter – a trade which panders to a niche market.

This practice involves hours of road transport before the animals are loaded onto a vessel for channel crossing and finally further road transport to the slaughter destination.

Caring farmers, like Mike Lunn, will readily see that if meat is exported it should be a carcass-only trade ... and aren’t we all looking forward to the time when the government can give wholehearted attention to matters such as this?

Beryl Wilkins

Bishops Drive

Lewes

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