Document type: Article published on the website of the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office(FSVO)
Author: FSVO
Preview: The transport of sick or injured animals must comply with animal protection legislation. To this end, the FSVO has worked with the Swiss Association of Cantonal Veterinarians to produce a guide that clarifies the relevant legislation
. This document sets out the criteria for assessing the suitability of an animal for transport and describes precautionary measures for the careful handling of animals.
Older livestock, such as dairy cows or mother sows, often suffer from hoof/foot and joint damage or other problems. The cantonal veterinary authorities are aware that these animals are not always transported with the necessary precautions despite the fact that animal keepers and transporters should take account of illnesses and injuries
: one important measure is to separate any sick or injured animals from the other animals by transporting them in a separate compartment, thereby protecting them from being jostled. Obviously sick or injured animals should not be transported to the slaughterhouse via livestock markets or collection centres, as the increased transport time and tran-shipment are too demanding. Animals suffering from the most serious diseases, or injuries such as a broken leg, are not fit for transport and must therefore be properly killed on site.
If in doubt, ask
When can animals be taken to the slaughterhouse? The answer is determined using the criteria in the new
guide, which explains the relevant provisions in detail. In there is doubt over an animal's fitness, a veterinarian will examine it and decide, on the basis of this guide, whether transport is possible and, if so, under what conditions. The primary responsibility for organising transport in accordance with animal protection legislation lies with an animal's keeper. The guide is intended to help everybody involved to make the right decisions, so that exposure to unnecessary stress can be avoided for sick or injured slaughter animals.
Guide to assessing the fitness to transport sick or injured animals for slaughter (PDF, 352 kB, 27.04.2022)
Press release for the trade press : Transport of sick and injured animals for slaughter: a new assessment guide (PDF, 228 kB, 03.05.2022)
