Uruguay: The lack of health certificates leaves 3,000 cows stranded on the Turkish coast

Around 3,000 cows from Uruguay have been blocked for three weeks aboard the cargo ship Spiridon II off the coast of Turkey. The ship, which departed from Montevideo on September 19, has been anchored off the port of Bandirma (western Turkey) since October 21. The Turkish government explained that the entry of the shipment was denied due to the lack of proper health and commercial certificates. Inspections revealed that some animals did not have ear tags or electronic identification chips, and that 469 heads of cattle did not match the provided lists. Due to these irregularities, entry was denied and the decision was communicated to the customs directorate. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF) and the French Robin des Bois are demanding the immediate disembarkation of the animals, whose condition is deteriorating after more than 50 days at sea. According to AWF, at least 48 animals have already died and the nearly 3,000 remaining are ...