This archive report was first published on 3 August 2019.
Exporting pigs to neighboring countries is a complex process that requires careful planning and adherence to regulations to ensure the welfare of the animals. As a consulting veterinary doctor, I have firsthand experience with the process, which involves obtaining an export permit from the Kenyan government.
However, the process does not end there. The buyer must also obtain an import permit from the neighboring country, which has its own set of regulations and requirements. In this article, I will share my experience with the process and provide tips for stress-free movement of pigs.
One of the key challenges in exporting pigs is ensuring their welfare during transportation. The animals must be provided with adequate food, water, and shelter to prevent discomfort and injury. The transport vehicle must also be designed to provide a safe and comfortable environment for the animals.
As a consulting veterinary doctor, it is my responsibility to ensure that the animals being transported are accorded all the five freedoms that define good animal welfare. These freedoms include freedom from hunger and thirst, pain, discomfort, fear and distress, and the ability to express normal behavior.
Ensuring that these freedoms are provided for requires proper scrutiny of the transport vehicle and thorough interview of the transporter to confirm that he understands the provisions needed and the appropriate precautions that he must observe when loading, transporting, and offloading the animals.
On one occasion, I was involved in the export of pigs to a neighboring country. The buyer had obtained an export permit from the Kenyan government, but he was concerned about the welfare of the animals during transportation. He wanted to supervise the loading of the pigs himself, but I advised him against it, explaining that the export process in Kenya is highly regulated with checks and balances comprising different cadres of private and public servants.
“Please understand that by issuing you with an export permit, the Government of Kenya has assured your government that what you have paid for is what will be delivered to you,” I explained. “If anything fraudulent happened with your animals, it was the Kenyan government that would answer to your government as long as you reported the matter back home.”
The buyer was satisfied with my explanation and dropped his intention of flying into the country to supervise the loading of the pigs. Instead, he asked his transporter to contact me to ensure that the transport vehicle conformed to the pig transport requirements regarding the welfare of the animals on transit.
After inspecting the transport truck and reconfirming the health of the pigs and fitness to travel, the State veterinary officer confirmed that the animals were comfortable in the vehicle and the feed and water were sufficient for the journey. The pigs were transported uneventfully, but at the entry point, they were delayed for nine hours due to reasons that were not valid.
Initially, the customs officers asked the transporter for documents that did not exist. However, after contacting the Kenyan counterparts who had approved the cargo, the pigs were eventually cleared for entry and transported to their final destination. The buyer was happy that the Kenyan supplier had kept his promise.
