RSPCA has claimed that stringent welfare checks on live animal export containers are not being carried out in line with commitments made earlier this year.

The Charity, which is campaigning for a ban on live animal exports, currently only conducted through the port of Dover, has called on Farming minister David Heath to see that government commitments are kept. The commitments were made following an incident last September at Ramsgate Port, where the trade was then based, in which 47 sheep died.   

Following changes made by the Farming Minister, officials should be conducting more rigorous checks to ensure the welfare export live animals to the continent. Heath said in February that every consignment would be checked at loading and a proportion again at the port of departure, until the government is entirely satisfied there was no risk to the welfare of animals. RSPCA said on Wednesday that in reality these checks are not being carried out, particularly at the point of loading.

RSPCA deputy CEO John Grounds said, "It is completely unacceptable that animals are not being checked at loading despite a ministerial promise to do so and Animal Health continue to only check around one in three lorries at the port. This trade involves living creatures, not tins of beans."

Grounds continued, "It is extremely concerning that our government cannot provide clear and transparent information about its checks on these animals. If UK and EU legislation continues to be flouted by the exporters, we would expect our government to step up its inspections and ensure the animals are protected by the laws in place."

The live animal export trade has also become a contentious issue in Parliament. In a parliamentary answer to a question regarding a lorry which was prevented from continuing on its journey at Dover earlier this month, the Farming Minister admitted that the lorry was only stopped as it has not been checked at the point of loading despite a reassurance two days earlier that all shipments of animals were being checked in line with the new commitments.

AHVLA has denied that checks are failing. The government agency said the failure to check a shipment at loading earlier this month, which was then raised in Parliament, was an isolated incident, due to a combination of staff illness and the early hour of the lorry's departure, and that the vehicle had been checked at Dover as a contingency arrangement.  

However on Wednesday, the RSPCA offered to provide its inspectors to support government officials, if a lack of resources is preventing the government from achieving full monitoring at both loading and the port prior to departure.