High Court live export ruling

Published 17/10/2012

The High Court has ruled against Thanet District Council's suspension of live exports from Ramsgate until a judicial review of the decision is concluded.

The suspension came just days after the death of 46 sheep at the port, which does not have adequate facilities to cope with the trade. But the High Court ruling means they will have to allow exports for the time being.

Reacting to the news, Dil Peeling, Director of Public Affairs at Compassion, said:

"Thanet District Council have made a brave and principled stand against live exports through Ramsgate, a port clearly not fit to take the trade, after seeing first hand the suffering it can cause to animals. This makes the news from the High Court deeply disappointing.

"However, it in no way blunts our resolve to stop this cruel trade in live animals. In the final count, if the law says that a port has to take a trade it doesn't want, doesn't have the facilities for and can't manage without risking wholesale disaster for the livestock involved, the law must change."

Compassion will be following the Judicial Review process closely, will be meeting with Defra minister David Heath on Friday and will continue to lobby farmers groups and central government to end the trade.