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Cows were killed or lost in two separate horrific transport truck crashes that took place days from each other.
On October 24, several cows were killed after an animal transport truck in Georgia caught fire. The driver opened the truck’s back doors, releasing about 15 of the terrified survivors onto the highway. Although the local sheriff enlisted the help of nearby residents to round up the animals, the majority of cows were not immediately found.
Five days earlier on October 19, 14 cows died after a transport truck rolled onto its side while attempting to exit an Ohio interstate. The truck hit several signs before coming to a stop on the ramp’s grassy median. Seven cows died in the crash, while seven others were euthanized because their meat was deemed no longer “fit for human consumption.”
Animal Transport
Accidents involving transport trucks are fairly common and can have devastating consequences for the animals trapped inside. But even if these trucks make their journey as planned, animals still face extreme suffering on board.
As young as six weeks old, chickens, pigs, cows, and other animals are crammed into trucks and sent to slaughter. Conditions are so abysmal that, according to an analysis, over 20 million animals die each year on their journeys. This is partly because farmed animals are afforded shockingly few legal protections during transport.
Animal transport regulations in the United States are disgraceful. By law, animals must be given food or water only after they have been on board for more than 28 hours—and no record of the USDA’s enforcement of the law exists.
This is why Mercy For Animals is calling on the USDA and the Department of Transportation to modernize U.S. animal transport laws by providing species-appropriate space, rest time, food, water, and protection from extreme temperatures. SIGN THE PETITION.