Target: Susan Jebb, Chair of the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA)
Goal: Ensure strict enforcement of animal welfare regulations to prevent the suffering and deaths of thousands of animals during transport.
Over the summer of 2025, nearly 6,600 animals, mainly chickens, died due to heat stress while being transported to slaughterhouses in the UK. This alarming statistic, representing a nearly 100% increase from the previous year, highlights the grim reality of how animals are treated as mere cargo. During periods of extreme heat many animals experienced prolonged suffering, with specific days witnessing the tragic deaths of nearly 1,000 chickens due to the unbearable conditions inside transport vehicles. Such apparent indifference to animal welfare is unacceptable and demands immediate action.
The investigation suggested that animals faced agonizing conditions, suffering visible signs of heat stress, such as panting and immobility, with body temperatures soaring beyond lethal levels. Chickens will die if their body temperature exceeds 45C, and some of the unfortunate victims during this period had temperatures as high as 46C. A staggering 13,057 animals also died from cold stress during the following winter, illuminating a systemic failure to protect these vulnerable creatures from extreme weather conditions year-round.
Immediate and decisive action is necessary to prevent this recurring tragedy. The FSA must enhance compliance with existing animal welfare regulations and ensure that proper protocols are strictly followed during extreme weather to mitigate the risk of harm. The public demands accountability for these horrific incidents and urges the FSA to implement measures that will put an end to the suffering of livestock due to heat and cold stress during transportation.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Chair Jebb,
The recent findings regarding animal deaths during transport are both shocking and devastating. Nearly 6,600 animals died from heat stress en route to slaughterhouses in the summer of 2025. On numerous occasions, animals suffered from heat exhaustion, with body temperatures exceeding survivable limits, resulting in agonizing deaths. Additionally, the winter months saw over 13,000 livestock perish due to cold exposure, emphasizing ongoing failures within the system to protect these animals from severe weather conditions.
The responsibility to prevent such inhumane treatment of animals falls squarely on regulatory bodies like the FSA. The apparent neglect shown towards livestock during transport, especially under extreme conditions, is a tragic reflection of a system that prioritizes efficiency over compassion. Workers must be educated on how to recognize signs of distress and implement preventative measures as mandated by current guidelines, yet the increase in “dead on arrival” cases suggests that these protocols are inadequately enforced.
It is imperative for the Food Standards Agency to take immediate corrective action to enforce animal welfare regulations stringently and ensure that no animal should ever again have to experience the horrific suffering seen in recent reports. The public calls for a commitment to safeguarding the lives of these vulnerable animals and protecting them against the cruel realities of extreme weather during transport.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Pixabay
