Injury Damage to Health and Cruel Treatment Present Conditions in the Shipment of Live Fauna (1985)

For several decades wild and domestic animals have been transported by air and subjected to considerable suffering and trauma. This technical revised study report first printed in 1985 documented part of a trade which remained mostly hidden from view to the general public, only witnessed by those working in the air cargo industry or in the field of capturing, exporting and importing wild animals for the pet trade, research and zoos.Millions of creatures were and still are shipped by air round the world sometimes under horrific conditions causing terrible suffering and death, while Governments, Airlines, wildlife authorities, international and national animal conservation and welfare organisations either stood by or were either unable or did little tangible to improve the situation.IATA Live Animal Regulations and the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) transport guidelines were both ignored or not enforced.The authors witnessed much of this horrific wastage of life and suffering at London Heathrow Airport while working at The City of London Animal Quarantine Station between 1977-83. They documented, photographed, prosecuted and researched hundreds of incidents culminating in a 490 page report presented IATA and to the 5th. CITES Conference in Buenos Aires in 1985 which caused consternation to all those involved and kick started tangible discussion on the issue. This booklet is a condensed revised version published as a permanent reminder of this terrible trade, particularly as history seems to be repeating itself with the cruelty involved in the burgeoning reptile trade for pets.