Ireland wants to fly live pigs to China

The Irish government's announcement to fly live pigs to China is being sharply criticised by animal welfare organisations and politicians.

An 11-hour flight for breeding pigs

Last month, Ireland's Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue announced the export of high-quality breeding pigs to China as part of a broader trade agreement.

«The journey will involve an 11-hour flight with air pressure and temperature fluctuations, turbulence and excessive noise, which will be extremely stressful for the pigs», said Caroline Rowley, founder of Ethical Farming Ireland.

«Animal welfare standards in China are very poor. On the World Animal Protection Index for the protection of farm animals, China ranks G, the lowest possible rating.»

«How does this fit with the Irish animal welfare strategy that was unveiled with great fanfare earlier this year? How does flying thousands of pigs to China fit with our climate policy?»

Not the way forward

Tilly Metz, Member of the European Parliament and Chair of the EU inquiry into animal transport, expressed shock at the Irish plans.

«Flying pigs from Ireland to China is definitely not the right way forward: neither for animal welfare nor for the climate.»

Against the backdrop of the current climate crisis and discussions about shortening supply chains to make our food system more sustainable, I am appalled that the Irish Agriculture Minister is proudly supporting this absurd new market for Irish overproduction.

Tilly Metz

The news comes at a time when the United Kingdom is preparing a ban on the export of live animals and the EU wants to set a maximum duration for the transport of animals.

The step comes against the backdrop of increasing scrutiny of live animal exports in the EU following an incident in which more than 1,700 cattle were stranded on a ship in the Mediterranean for nearly three months.