Transporting livestock takes caution, planning
Transporting livestock is often something that is planned weeks, if not months in advance. It is not something that can be changed on a whim as it is often being coordinated with a third-party carrier.
Planning out the route and having a backup plan is recommended by Dr. Melissa Moggy, Extension Coordinator at Alberta Farm Animal Care (afac. ab.ca) because running into a roadblock or construction with those animals, who are essentially in a metal container, can be lethal.
“They can’t stay on the road without moving, they need that airflow going through,” said Moggy. “You are going to need a couple of alternative routes so that if a block is encountered, the driver can keep going.”
Transporting animals at night is the best option, although sometimes, when it is this hot, the temperature doesn’t cool down below the mid-20s. If possible, Moggy recommends delaying the transport until the ambient temperature is cooler.
“Breakdowns do happen,” said Moggy. “Those animals can get overheated very fast in those trailers. If that happens, we always suggest, especially in Alberta, to call the Alert Line. An anonymous producer-helping-producer call line that you can use if you ever have questions or concerns about animal welfare.”
The number is 1-800-506-2273, although 9-1-1 can also be used and they will link the caller through to the Alert Line. There are 19 Emergency Livestock Trailers dotted around Alberta and, in those situations, AFAC will coordinate for another trailer to go to the breakdown. The animals are off-loaded and re-loaded onto a working vehicle to avoid them cooking in the sun.
“Every time it has happened, it is amazing how the community comes together. They realize this is an emergency and often I would say the trailer is at the site in under an hour. They coordinate things so fast, and people really step up,” explained Moggy.
The AFAC website has a map showing where each of the trailers is located. Presently, it only shows 18 trailers as one is specifically for Alberta SPCA.