New DVD addresses animal welfare needs in road traffic accidents
A new training DVD has been produced in conjunction with the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) intended for emergency personnel responding to road traffic incidents involving farm animal transport vehicles.
The training programme was produced in collaboration with the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and livestock transport vehicle manufacturers by livestock engineering consultant Peter Kettlewell and livestock transport consultant Eddie Harper MBE, co-sponsored by the Humane Slaughter Association, the Royal Bath and West of England Society and Crowe Livestock (Amlin plc). It covers all aspects of safe, effective and humane handling of animals in incidents involving the main types of livestock transport vehicles currently in use in the UK.
“During 2010 in the UK, journeys from farm to slaughter alone accounted for the movement of over 3 million cattle, 10 million pigs, 30 million sheep, 40 million end-of-lay hens, 16 million turkeys and over 850 million broiler chickens. Typical large vehicles may carry around 50 cattle, 220 pigs, 450 sheep or 6500 broilers”, commented HSA Technical Director Charles Mason. “This indicates the scale of the potential need for expertise in emergency response to accidents involving these vehicles.”
The comprehensive programme, entitled ‘Livestock Transportation: What’s the risk?’, provides details of different types of livestock containers and how they can be safely accessed when compromised in accidents. There are also sections on animal behaviour and welfare to assist when livestock needs to be evacuated and for dealing with animal casualties.
The DVD has been distributed by the FRS to all Fire Services throughout the UK, and is also available to other agencies and personnel, such as police and veterinary services, who work together to ensure effective resolution of such incidents.
Further information about the programme and its availability can be obtained from Peter Kettlewell, email peterkettlewell@rocketmail.com, telephone 07966 350069
