OneKind wants to see an end to farm animals being transported in cruel conditions

An animal rights charity is calling for an end to the live transportation of farm animals.

OneKind wants to see a ban on live animal exports after Brexit, which it says would not disadvantage the farming industry.

The charity was responding to comments made by rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing in the Scotsman, where he said that the Scottish Government would not be taking part in any UK-wide scheme to prevent the exportation of live animals.

Live animal exports are currently controlled by EU regulation, however the UK government is considering introducing a ban on live exports of animals for slaughter once the UK leaves the European Union.

“I will not support anything that creates further challenges or difficulty for our farming sector or puts Scottish agriculture at a disadvantage,” Ewing said. “Any such move would potentially do substantial harm to our quality livestock sector, not least farming in the Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney, as well as trade with Northern Ireland.”

In response, OneKind director Harry Huyton said that the majority of Scots want to see higher animal welfare standards

He said: “A ban on the export of live animals outside of the UK would have no impact whatsoever on the ability of farmers on the islands to sell their livestock within the UK, nor would it prevent businesses selling meat products outside of the UK.

“It is designed simply to prevent the abhorrent practice of sending live sheep, cows and other animals on long journeys, in inhumane conditions where animals often give birth on lorries, suffer injuries and even die.”