n light of the appalling events in Ramsgate Harbour in the past 24 hours Laura Sandys MP held an emergency meeting with the Minister of State for Animal Welfare, David Heath MP, and the Chief Executive of the RSCPA. In the meeting she called for an immediate ban on the live animal export trade from Ramsgate.
"The Council has also done the right thing and i commend them for closing Ramsgate Port to animal transportation and i am asking the Minister to support this move.
Laura Sandys said “I was horrified when I heard the news yesterday, however I have since had a positive meeting with the Minister and I am confident that the Government is cracking down on this unnecessary and barbaric trade. After showing him the horrific photos from the scene of the incident, David Heath MP made it very clear to me that his Department regards the situation at Ramsgate as completely unacceptable and will be taking a zero tolerance approach to any infringement of the live animal export trade regulations.
“I was very pleased to hear that the Minister has already taken strong action on this issue. He has suspended the licence of the offending vehicle and has commissioned reports on the welfare of the animals in Northamptonshire and the suitability of the transportation process. He has also committed to ensuring there is a stronger relationship between the RSCPA and the Animal Health inspector, making it less likely that any abuse goes unnoticed. Furthermore, he assured me that he will investigate the suitability of Ramsgate Port after I made it clear to him that I felt it is unsuitable to cope with the needs of the animals.
“For my part, I find the trade deeply distasteful and disruptive for the whole local community. I strongly believe that the trade should be banned as soon as possible, and will continue to work closely with the Government on every detail of this harrowing and unacceptable trade until this happens. If we do not act soon there will be another massacre like we saw on Wednesday. In order to gain as much support as possible please sign my petition (download it from here)”.
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