Long, Cruel Road to the Slaughterhouse

Ten major animal charities investigated the global trade in livestock, documenting the cruelties that live animals endure on journeys that last thousands of miles, from countries like Australia and Brazil to Europe and the Middle East. “Thousands of animals die en route from disease, heat exhaustion, hunger and stress,” reports Emily Dugan for the Independent. Low transportation costs encourage the global trade, with more than 1 billion live animals being transported each week, but the economics of trade do not take into account the animals’ well being, activists contend. Reasons for the long transports vary: Some ethnic or religious customs require special butchering procedures; in other cases, the companies mislead customers who demand locally raised products. The stress, close quarters and lack of sanitation on such journeys not only terrify the animals, but could also endanger human health. Such investigations shock a modern society that focuses on safety, yet deliberately overlooks the less savory details about the source of its food. – YaleGlobal