Animal transport to be improved in Europe

Journeys for animals in Europe should become a little less unpleasant from Friday (5/01). New EU rules mean that vehicles used to transport animals for trips of more than eight hours must be upgraded, including more efficient ventilation.

New lorries must be equipped with satellite navigation systems while old ones have until 2009 to install the equipment.

Loading and unloading – the especially stressful times for animals – will be better regulated and drivers will also get special training.

Strict rules on watering are set out and newborn animals and females about to give birth are no longer allowed to be transported.

But there is still no limit on the length of journeys or the number of animals which can be packed into a lorry as the European Commission failed to reach an agreement on those issues.