Humane road transport of animals
NCCAW Position Statement
The Law
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act in each state and territory should clearly indicate that the transport of animals must be done humanely.
The statute should be drawn to provide for a Code of Practice for the Transport of Animals which identifies the minimum required standards for humane transport and to ensure that the Code's provisions are followed.
The Road Traffic Regulations of each state and territory should provide for:
- the registration of all trucks, including stock crates, that are used commercially to transport live animals, and,
- that they are suitable for this purpose, regardless of whether they are used on a full or part-time basis
- that they are suitable for this purpose, regardless of whether they are used on a full or part-time basis
- the annual inspection and re-registration of stock crates and ancillary equipment used commercially to transport live animals, and
- ensure that the crates and equipment are well maintained and suitable for this purpose
- ensure that the crates and equipment are well maintained and suitable for this purpose
- the volumetric loading of livestock
- all drivers of commercial live-animal transport trucks to have their driver's licence endorsed if they have been assessed as experienced enough to be in charge of a truck carrying animals
- all inspectors appointed under the Road Traffic Acts, to enforce provisions for the humane transport of animals in addition to police and inspectors appointed under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts.
Transport Drivers
A driver who owns a truck and ancillary equipment for carrying animals and also the animals being transported, should:
- be registered to transport them
- follow all the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Road Traffic Acts and the associated Code of Practice for the Transport of Animals.
A commercial driver who transports live animals for fee or reward should be required to:
- have an endorsed licence for the purpose
- drive a registered truck (with the stock crate and ancillary equipment subject to annual inspection)
- follow all the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Road Traffic Acts and the associated Code of Practice for the Transport of Animals.
To obtain a driver's licence endorsement to be in charge of a truck carrying live animals, drivers employed to transport animals commercially should be required to:
- obtain state or territory department of agriculture assessment of
- their experience with stock, and
- knowledge of the law, regulations, and provisions of the relevant Codes of Practice
In the interim period before licence endorsement, a driver could be employed to work under instruction from an experienced licensed driver.
The employer of a probationary driver would be obliged to see that the driver was instructed in the law, regulations and provisions of the Code of Practice for the Transport of Animals.
Drivers must not accept animals that are unfit for transportation.
Responsibility for the inhumane transport of animals rests with the person in charge at the time the offence is committed and not whoever supplied the animals or ordered their transportation.
Drivers must observe all stipulated stock-related rest periods and should carry a simple log book detailing the animals movement before acceptance for transport, and their last exposure to water and feed. This is of particular importance for bobby calves.
Sick and injured animals discovered en-route or when off-loading, must be destroyed or be provided with proper veterinary assistance.
Drivers must be trained to destroy animals humanely and all trucks must carry the necessary equipment, particularly as trained assistance is difficult to obtain outside normal working hours.
Livestock must not be left in stationary trucks overnight or during other extended periods when the driver is not in attendance.
Drivers must load livestock onto trucks according to the Code of Practice's specifications and their own experience of the species to avoid overcrowding or packing the animals too loosely.
Drivers must not load livestock transporters so that the animals are mixed in species, size or incompatible sex groups.
They must give particular attention when transporting small groups of animals to ensure correct trucking density and proper foothold.
Transport Trucks and Ancillary Equipment
Maintenance of trucks and ancillary equipment needs careful attention, particularly when they are used only part-time. Vehicle flooring and loading ramps need special attention.
Trucks used to transport livestock at night must carry sufficient lighting to permit the proper inspection of stock en route.
Ancillary equipment, such as tarpaulins, must be carried at all times and drivers trained to use the equipment as required by Codes of Practice.
The particular needs of livestock, such as poultry carried in cages or containers, needs special attention. Cages or containers must be designed to:
- prevent the escape from or the protrusion of any part of the animal
- be properly secured to prevent them falling off the truck.
Animals carried in this way require more frequent inspection en-route.
Loading of Animals
Animals unfit for transport according to the relevant Code of Practice must not be loaded.
They should be:
- loaded onto trucks according to the area (volume) that they occupy to ensure their continued welfare [see 1 (iii)]
- must only be loaded into stock crates that have been specifically designed to meet the needs of the particular species involved.
Prompter consideration should be given to incorporating new design principles for loading ramps, stock crates, and ancillary equipment used in standard commercial vehicles for transporting stock.
Notes
Reference to a Code of Practice should be interpreted as the Code recognised in the relevant state or territory.
The word 'should' indicates a change in legislation is required before the practice can be implemented.
"Must" indicates the practice can be implemented under the current legislation.
Relevant Model Codes of Practice
- Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Land Transport of Cattle
- Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Land Transport of Horses
- Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Land Transport of Pigs
- Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals - Land Transport of Poultry | 2nd Edition
This Position Statement was first published in July 1991 and was reviewed by NCCAW on 20 February 2008. NCCAW made the decision to retain it without amendment.