THE TRANSPORTATION OF ANIMALS FOR SLAUGHTER [To the Editor of
the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—There are four different aspects of this question with which I wish to deal. These are transit by boat, rail, float or cart, and road. In regard to the first, the injuries inflicted are a great loss to owners, as is well known, and mean terrible suffering to many of the animals. The arrangements on board cattle boats for short distances, such as to Ireland, are very poor. Cattle coming from Canada and other distant parts arrive in much better condition. Short distance boats often bring cattle over untied, running loose, and a sick, tired or injured animal getting down is frequently trampled to death or frightfully injured. I have personally cut up large numbers of the carcases of these cattle, and in many cases I have not been able to find a single joint in them that I could pass on for food. They had broken legs, ribs, and all kind of injuries and bruises that extended from the nose to the tail. In short, the whole carcase was a mass of bruises, with portions of the flesh dropping off on the removal of the skin. Much of the torture could be prevented by the adoption of single stalls in place of loose pens or of none at all. And the stalls could be padded with some soft cheap material that would prevent the animals from being jostled against hard wood. Much of the extra expense would be refunded by the meat saved. Surely live animals that are as sensitive to pain as we are are entitled to more thought and care than things that have no life. Only by a vacant look or a deep groan can they appeal to our pity, and this they often do.
As regards the conveying of animals by rail, I must admit I have seen many arrangements about as bad as those by boat. In some cases injured animals I have seen lay for an unreason- able time, as before they could be dealt with the owners had to be wired to for instructions. At Carlisle stock was trans- ferred from one company to another, and no company would accept a transferred wagon which had an injured animal in it. Formerly the owner or company would seek a butcher and sell the animal as it lay. Then the butcher would remove it alive to some slaughter-house, and the trailing of the animal from wagon to float and conveying it some distance, then pulling it out again, caused unjustifiable agony. Following a prosecution in which a good penalty was inflicted, I arranged with the companies to accept responsibility. As soon as a veterinary inspector certified an animal unfit to remove, I sent a float with a qualified slaughterman, and the animal was shot with a humane killer where it lay. On no account would I allow it to be moved alive.
Then there is the practice of slick meat dealers smuggling emaciated and diseased animals among a wagon load of good stock. Such cases should be severely dealt with. Many of the cattle wagons are out of date and should be replaced. They should be locked to prevent the running in of the diseased animals referred to. The loading and unloading should be supervised by picked men with hunianitarian ten- dencies, who would also act as a check on those drivers who are cruel and use their sticks and dogs too freely in the process of trucking. Animals do not understand this running and pushing about. Patience should always take the place of pushing an animal.
With regard to the removal of animals by carts and floats, much suffering that could be avoided is found there also. Sheep and pigs are often overcrowded. The lashing of three
legs of the former is cruel. I have seen sheep brought long distances this way, and when they were released it was quite a time before they could recover their legs. Pigs I Wye re- peatedly seen suffocated by overcrowding. The way in which lame animals are carted with others is repulsive. In two separate eases I had pigs with three broken legs. each brought in a spring cart. Cow; with milk fever and paralysed arc also carted alive long distaneN for slaughter which should have taken place at home.
I now come to thz driving of stock by road. All drivers should be licensed. Nearly every week one could see in the carcases of animals slaughtered marks of violence from sticks and other things. Not very long ago a sheep was found lying behind a fence in a field. It was sent to me for slaughter. It was a poor store sheep which had been unable to travel and was of little value. It had been thrown over to get rid of it. The owner was never traced. In another case a cow met some- what similar treatment, but as it was of more value the owner turned up for it, was summoned and fined. The public could in many ways assist in such cases. At a railway station a young man came with a barrow to lift a calf which he kicked. A lady protested. He replied, I wanted to see if it was alive." The lady was of a masculine build. It was not long till he went down. The wife of a butcher I knew stopped a driver driving a lame sheep by probing it along with a stick. On his refusing to desist, she struck him over the cheek and told him that if he did not go and get a barrow to put it in she would follow him till she met a policeman. I could give ease after case.
Our cause is flooded with sympathizers. We want helpers, A little help is worth a lot of sympathy. I suppose what took place in my area is only too common in others. 1 am continually receiving letters from all quarters assuring me of the good the narrative of my experiences is doing. I cannot hope for many more years to wield my pen, but if I have helped to show that our dumb friends need more generous treatment my reward is complete.—I am, Sir, &c.,
JOHN Douns, Expert Adviser to the Animal Defence Society ; late Superintendent of Carlisle Abattoir.
[We are grateful to Mr. Dodds for his noble letter. lie has never allowed custom or familiarity with usage to make him callous. We trust that our readers will not think that all is well in the transport and slaughter of animals merely because there is a dispute about the facts in the trade in worn-out horses. Anyone who has used his eyes must know that there is only too much room for improvement. And let us remember that in helping the animals we shall be helping men themselves. A man who through ignorance or callousness ill-treats animals becomes brutalized himself.—En. Spectator.]
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