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| Live animal exporter accuses Kent council of tipping off protesters | Live animal exporter accuses Kent council of tipping off protesters |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A shipping company transporting live animals across the English Channel in the face of animal welfare protests claims port owners in Kent have been rallying protesters before planned sailings in an attempt to "obstruct" the legal trade. | |
| Barco de Vapor, Dutch-based owner of the ferry Joline, alleges Thanet district council, which runs the port of Ramsgate, is trying to damage legitimate businesses. The council denies any collusion with protesters. | Barco de Vapor, Dutch-based owner of the ferry Joline, alleges Thanet district council, which runs the port of Ramsgate, is trying to damage legitimate businesses. The council denies any collusion with protesters. |
| A fortnight before the company is to start legal action against the authority, it has issued a rare press statement publicising the Joline's successful attempt to beat protests last Friday, when the vessel slipped out of the port after giving little notice of its planned departure. | A fortnight before the company is to start legal action against the authority, it has issued a rare press statement publicising the Joline's successful attempt to beat protests last Friday, when the vessel slipped out of the port after giving little notice of its planned departure. |
| Sailings have been drawing dozens of opponents of live exports to the port, but last Friday the ship's operator gave what it called "short notice" to the council of its plans and "not to our surprise there were no protesters at all". | Sailings have been drawing dozens of opponents of live exports to the port, but last Friday the ship's operator gave what it called "short notice" to the council of its plans and "not to our surprise there were no protesters at all". |
| The statement said: "The absence of protesters from the port proves the point that Thanet district council is rallying up protesters when given more notice." | |
| It added that "the behaviour of these protesters is such that Thanet district council considers them a threat to the safety of the port", so insisted on police attendance. This forced changes to Joline bookings, said its owners, who also accused councillors of putting "their own beliefs" above public interest. | |
| The fact that the "successful sailing" went "without uproar, without policing and without trouble", under the supervision of government vets, presented the "true picture" of the trade, said the statement. | The fact that the "successful sailing" went "without uproar, without policing and without trouble", under the supervision of government vets, presented the "true picture" of the trade, said the statement. |
| A spokesman for the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) said its officials had supervised the loading of animals at the start of their journey to the port on Friday and before boarding the ship to ensure they were fit to travel. They had been informed of the sailing that morning. | A spokesman for the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) said its officials had supervised the loading of animals at the start of their journey to the port on Friday and before boarding the ship to ensure they were fit to travel. They had been informed of the sailing that morning. |
| Two days previously the ship had been forced by bad weather to turn back while en route to Calais with hundreds of sheep. | Two days previously the ship had been forced by bad weather to turn back while en route to Calais with hundreds of sheep. |
| AHVLA vets said there had been no "welfare issues" before or after the animals had been at sea on Wednesday, but Roger Gale, Conservative MP for the neighbouring North Thanet constituency, said afterwards the ship should never have been allowed to sail and the RSPCA claimed the treatment of the sheep was "barbaric" and "nothing short of torture". | |
| Thanet council denied it had been rallying protesters. "The protesters against live animal exports are very well organised, have their own contacts and monitor the movements of the Joline. They are often aware of shipments in advance of the council being notified," it said. | |
| "Protesters were in attendance outside Ramsgate port last Friday when the Joline sailed, although in smaller numbers than usual. This may be because the Joline was already docked at the port following the incident on Wednesday, when it returned after attempting to sail in bad weather." | "Protesters were in attendance outside Ramsgate port last Friday when the Joline sailed, although in smaller numbers than usual. This may be because the Joline was already docked at the port following the incident on Wednesday, when it returned after attempting to sail in bad weather." |
| Its statement added that it took the welfare of animals in transit through Ramsgate very seriously and "therefore does notify the RSPCA of shipments (when it is aware that they are going to take place) in order for them to carry out welfare checks." | Its statement added that it took the welfare of animals in transit through Ramsgate very seriously and "therefore does notify the RSPCA of shipments (when it is aware that they are going to take place) in order for them to carry out welfare checks." |
| Ramsgate is the only British port from which live animal exports are taking place. | Ramsgate is the only British port from which live animal exports are taking place. |
| In September, the council temporarily halted operations after more than 40 sheep in one consignment were found to be injured or lame and had to be destroyed. It said live exports would be restarted only if suitable holding facilities were built near the port and councillors felt such transporting of live animals was a priority. | In September, the council temporarily halted operations after more than 40 sheep in one consignment were found to be injured or lame and had to be destroyed. It said live exports would be restarted only if suitable holding facilities were built near the port and councillors felt such transporting of live animals was a priority. |
| The Joline ran one cargo out of Southend in Essex soon afterwards, but its owners, Associated British Ports, suspended sailings until further notice after discussions with the RSPCA. | The Joline ran one cargo out of Southend in Essex soon afterwards, but its owners, Associated British Ports, suspended sailings until further notice after discussions with the RSPCA. |
| Barco de Vapor is one of three Dutch businesses that have launched legal action forcing Ramsgate to open the port to the Joline again pending an application for a judicial review, which is expected to open in London on December 11. | Barco de Vapor is one of three Dutch businesses that have launched legal action forcing Ramsgate to open the port to the Joline again pending an application for a judicial review, which is expected to open in London on December 11. |
| The council said on Wednesday that the events of September "were so awful that the council considered they compromised its responsibilities. The council felt that it had to act and, as always, is working within the legal framework when doing this." | The council said on Wednesday that the events of September "were so awful that the council considered they compromised its responsibilities. The council felt that it had to act and, as always, is working within the legal framework when doing this." |
| The RSPCA says the Joline, a converted Soviet tank carrier, is not suitable for transporting live animals as the ship was designed for rivers rather than the open sea. | The RSPCA says the Joline, a converted Soviet tank carrier, is not suitable for transporting live animals as the ship was designed for rivers rather than the open sea. |
| Kent Action Against Live Exports, which organises regular protests at the port involving 50 to 60 people, said only seven protesters had been there on Friday – after a supporter driving to London and another living on the route to the port had seen three trucks apparently heading for Ramsgate. | Kent Action Against Live Exports, which organises regular protests at the port involving 50 to 60 people, said only seven protesters had been there on Friday – after a supporter driving to London and another living on the route to the port had seen three trucks apparently heading for Ramsgate. |
| Ian Birchall, the group's chairman, called Friday's sailing "an act of piracy". He said there was normally "an extremely heavy police presence" at the port during live export sailings. "If we have been threatening and intimidating then we have been spectacularly unsuccessful. We are there to monitor the trade and show our disgust at what is going on." | Ian Birchall, the group's chairman, called Friday's sailing "an act of piracy". He said there was normally "an extremely heavy police presence" at the port during live export sailings. "If we have been threatening and intimidating then we have been spectacularly unsuccessful. We are there to monitor the trade and show our disgust at what is going on." |