Call for the OIE to take their
responsibilities seriously

Between the 20th and 25th May, Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) from across the world will meet in Paris for the 80th General Session of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

One of the key points for discussion is “the adoption of international standards regarding the safety of world trade in animals and animal products.”

The OIE is responsible for providing guidance on how to protect animals during transport and slaughter and to mediate in emergency animal welfare situations. Yet, in recent months, they have failed spectacularly in fulfilling this role, as was seen with the Gracia del Mar and the footage obtained by Compassion in World Farming from inside an Egyptian slaughterhouse, which was so horrific we couldn’t publish it on our website.

TAKE ACTION – we need 1,000s of supporters to send emails by Monday 21st May

Please send the OIE the email below calling on them to take greater responsibility for providing guidance on animal welfare issues and mediating between nations in the event of emergencies.

On Monday 21st May we will be writing to a number of Chief Veterinary Officers who are known to support moves to tighten and properly enforce guidelines on animal welfare. We will be asking these CVOs to speak out at the General Session and call for the OIE to take a more pro-active role.

To show the scale of support, we will tell them how many of our supporters have contacted the OIE. So please, take action today.

Read the email here. (Please be aware that some people may find the descriptions of animal suffering in the email distressing. )

Fill in your details below and click submit to email the OIE.

Dear Dr Vallat,

Compassion in World farming has just produced a new film entitled A Path to Better Futures?: the need for implementation of the OIE recommendations on animal welfare.

I understand that this film is too graphic to be released publically, but that it shows extremely disturbing footage of severe animal suffering taken in a number of countries – and makes it clear that there continue to be serious breaches of the OIE's recommendations on welfare during transport and slaughter.

I understand the film includes footage of the following:

Cattle in an Egyptian slaughterhouse being beaten – very hard – on the head with a large pole while other animals have their leg tendons slashed.
Also in Egypt, cattle being stabbed repeatedly in the neck until finally they collapse to the ground.
And, in Indonesia, live cattle being unloaded from a ship. A crane is used to hoist them – hanging by their heads in groups of three – from the ship to a waiting truck.

These are not isolated cases. Compassion in World Farming has in recent years told the OIE about cruel slaughter practices that are in breach of the OIE recommendations in a number of countries, including several in the Middle East, Indonesia and Turkey.

Moreover, a World Bank report reveals serious animal welfare problems in a range of countries across the world. The report contains a litany of suffering and concludes that animal welfare at all the slaughter facilities visited “requires significant improvement”.

I am aware that the OIE recognises the challenges faced by its Member countries but would urge the OIE to do more to help its Members to implement its recommendations. I am pleased that the OIE plans to appoint an Animal Welfare Coordinator to help with implementation of the OIE recommendations in Indonesia and neighbouring countries. However, clearly more than one person is needed to tackle these problems, which are prevalent in many parts of the world.

I welcome the planned OIE global conference on animal welfare in November in Malaysia. Please ensure that this is not just another ‘talking shop’. It is vital that it produces a strong commitment by countries to comply with the OIE recommendations – and a clear action plan as to how animal welfare across the world can be radically improved.

Yours sincerely,

Subject

Dear Dr Vallat,

Compassion in World farming has just produced a new film entitled A Path to Better Futures?: the need for implementation of the OIE recommendations on animal welfare.

I understand that this film is too graphic to be released publically, but that it shows extremely disturbing footage of severe animal suffering taken in a number of countries – and makes it clear that there continue to be serious breaches of the OIE's recommendations on welfare during transport and slaughter.

I understand the film includes footage of the following:

Cattle in an Egyptian slaughterhouse being beaten – very hard – on the head with a large pole while other animals have their leg tendons slashed.
Also in Egypt, cattle being stabbed repeatedly in the neck until finally they collapse to the ground.
And, in Indonesia, live cattle being unloaded from a ship. A crane is used to hoist them – hanging by their heads in groups of three – from the ship to a waiting truck.

These are not isolated cases. Compassion in World Farming has in recent years told the OIE about cruel slaughter practices that are in breach of the OIE recommendations in a number of countries, including several in the Middle East, Indonesia and Turkey.

Moreover, a World Bank report reveals serious animal welfare problems in a range of countries across the world. The report contains a litany of suffering and concludes that animal welfare at all the slaughter facilities visited “requires significant improvement”.

I am aware that the OIE recognises the challenges faced by its Member countries but would urge the OIE to do more to help its Members to implement its recommendations. I am pleased that the OIE plans to appoint an Animal Welfare Coordinator to help with implementation of the OIE recommendations in Indonesia and neighbouring countries. However, clearly more than one person is needed to tackle these problems, which are prevalent in many parts of the world.

I welcome the planned OIE global conference on animal welfare in November in Malaysia. Please ensure that this is not just another ‘talking shop’. It is vital that it produces a strong commitment by countries to comply with the OIE recommendations – and a clear action plan as to how animal welfare across the world can be radically improved.

Yours sincerely,

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Email me updates about this and other Compassion in World Farming campaigns.

Recent OIE Animal Welfare Failures

Call for the OIE to take their responsibilities seriously

Between the 20th and 25th May, Chief Veterinary Officers (CVOs) from across the world will meet in Paris for the 80th General Session of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

TAKE ACTION – we need 1,000s of supporters to send emails by Monday 21st May

Call for the OIE to take their
responsibilities seriously