Toulouse. 11 horses transported in appalling conditions rescued: one animal euthanized on site
By Gabriel Kenedi
Published on
The driver of a lorry registered in Malta which was transporting horses was taken into custody on the evening of Saturday October 8, 2022, in Toulouse. The security forces accused him of having transported 11 horses in particularly appalling conditions.
No ventilation, no water, no food
“The truck was made to transport horses but not as many. There were probably too many of them and the truck was not up to standard, because it wasn’t ventilated enough. Also, there was no water, no food,” a police source told Toulouse News.
When they intervened, the driver of the heavy goods vehicle had parked on the hard shoulder, at the North toll exit, at the level of the A62 motorway. The 31-year-old Maltese driver had stopped because he heard a strange noise in the back of the van. He would then have a technical problem with his vehicle… It was not the case.
A euthanized animal
When they opened the door of the van, the police could only see the appalling conditions in which the animals were being transported. The police then called in the fire brigade and veterinary teams. In effect, one of the horses was dying while another was sufficiently injured.
The two animals in the worst shape were therefore taken out to a field to receive treatment. Unfortunately, the one who was dying had to be euthanasia to end his suffering.
Two other horses, which had been injured, were taken care of by the veterinary school. The eight remaining horses that retired to the truck were transported by a police officer holding a heavy vehicle license to the Toulouse veterinary school, where they were taken care of.
“He turned out to be looking for racehorses”
But what was this man from Malta doing in the Toulouse region? “He found himself looking for racehorses in several towns. Some animals had been in the truck since early morning and the driver was on the way back to Malta at the time of the check…”, specifies a police source. The horses having been brought to safety, the investigation is continuing. The driver was released from custody.
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