Kent Trading Standards secures prosecution for animal transport

5.18.15pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 22nd Jul 2010

A Dutch company has been fined £10,370 for transporting live sheep through Dover on standard passenger ferries, and declaring the load as meat.

Onderwater Agnueax was convicted of six charges under the Welfare of Animals in Transport Order after pleading guilty at Dover Magistrates Court on 5 July. They were fined £1,000 per offence, plus £4,355 costs and a £15 victim surcharge, and were ordered to pay within 14 days.

Kent Trading Standards officers led the investigation and prosecution after ferry operators noticed a smell coming from trailers, which had declared its load as 'boxed meat'. The company was using converted refrigerated trailers to carry live animals on standard ferries from Dover, which do not carry livestock, as a cheaper and quicker transport option.

After being alerted, Kent County Council's Kent Trading Standards worked with Dover Harbour Board Police and government officers to prevent the company using both Dover and Ramsgate ports in this way, which was attempted on at least six occasions.

Kent Trading Standards Area Manager, Mark Rolfe said:

"This is a good result. We take the welfare of animals in transit very seriously and placing them and other ferry users at risk to cut costs is unacceptable and illegal."