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Earlier this week, 31 cows used for dairy tumbled onto an Oregon freeway after a transport truck tipped over. Some of the cows were killed on impact, while others were shot and killed by Oregon State Police to “put them out of their misery.” The survivors were rounded up and put onto another trailer.
According to reports, the transport trailer overturned after crashing on a freeway overpass. While some of the cows were killed in the crash, others were tossed along the highway. Some even fell to the grassy area under the bridge.
Videos and pictures on social media show frightened cows making their way between cars. In one clip, a woman calls to two cows wandering down the road, saying, “Come here, babies.”
I5 north bound. Apparently semi with cows crashed and cows are loose on the freeway. pic.twitter.com/sF6gZx585k
— Dave Tragethon🇺🇸 (@dav3trag) March 13, 2022
Oregon State Police and Department of Transportation joined firefighters and emergency crews in catching the animals. The last cow was difficult to catch, but she was finally herded into a trailer after the freeway had been shut down for three hours.
The Problem with Animal Transport
When transport trucks packed full of cows, pigs, chickens, and other animals have accidents on the road, the consequences are devastating for the animals trapped within. Countless animals have been killed or injured in crashes like this.
Even in the best cases, animal transport is horribly cruel. In crowded trailers or stacked crates, animals suffer long, grueling journeys with no food or water. And transport trucks are not designed to protect animals from harsh weather.
In winter, farmed animals endure below-freezing conditions and are exposed to snow, rain, and frigid winds. Many die of hypothermia. Some even freeze to the floors or sides of trailers. In summer, temperatures inside trucks rise to well over 100°F. Many animals suffer heat stress, asphyxiation, and heart attacks.
This is unacceptable suffering, and U.S. laws are nowhere near sufficient to protect these animals. The time for action is now. Please join Mercy For Animals in calling on the USDA and Department of Transportation to better protect animals during transport!