Every year, hundreds of thousands of unweaned calves are transported on long ferry journeys from Ireland to mainland Europe. These calves, unwanted by the industry, are sent to be raised cheaply on fattening farms across Europe for veal or other products. Brittany Ferries chose to re-enter this cruel trade after 30 years. Together, we can pressure them to stop.
After 18 months of coordinated campaigning alongside animal welfare organisations across the UK, Ireland and France, Brittany Ferries has announced it will end the transport of all live farmed animals on its ferries from September 2026.
This landmark decision follows sustained pressure from FOUR PAWS and a coalition of animal welfare NGOs, together with the incredible support of hundreds of thousands of people across Europe who called on the company to end its involvement in the live animal trade.
This is a major step forward for animal welfare. While we celebrate this important milestone, our work is far from over. Live animal transport continues across Europe, and FOUR PAWS will keep campaigning to end the suffering of vulnerable animals, especially unweaned calves exported from Ireland on long and exhausting journeys.
Thank you!
This victory would not have been possible without the dedication of campaigners, supporters and partner organisations across Europe.
Every email, social media post, comment, share, review and conversation helped send a powerful message: animal welfare matters, and companies can choose to put animal welfare before profit.
Brittany Ferries' decision is proof that change is possible. Yet every year, millions of vulnerable farmed animals are still transported across Europe and beyond on long, exhausting journeys.
We will continue working to end the suffering caused by live animal transport and to secure stronger protections for farmed animals.
The next phase of our campaign is already underway, stay tuned for what's to come.
Long Journeys, Young Animals
Unweaned calves are extremely young animals that remain dependent on milk or milk replacer for their nutritional needs.
However, calves travelling on trucks during ferry crossings cannot be fed milk replacer while at sea. As a result, they can spend many hours without adequate nutrition during journeys that often last well over a day.
A growing body of scientific research has documented the welfare consequences of these journeys. Studies have identified dehydration, fatigue, low energy reserves, hypoglycaemia and signs of respiratory disease among transported calves. Researchers have also reported widespread lung damage and frequent antibiotic treatment requirements in transported animals.
The evidence is clear: these journeys place young calves at significant risk of suffering.
Concerns Over Compliance with EU Animal Transport Rules
The transport of unweaned calves on these routes raises serious concerns regarding compliance with Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, which requires calves to be fed at prescribed intervals during transport.
In practice, journeys from Ireland to mainland Europe commonly take between 24 and 28 hours when road and sea transport are combined. The point at which calves should receive feeding frequently occurs during the ferry crossing itself, when feeding is not possible on roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels.
A European Commission audit found that calves transported on long ferry crossings were not being fed at the legally required intervals and identified significant animal welfare concerns associated with these journeys.
These findings raise serious questions about the compatibility of this trade with EU animal welfare requirements and highlight Brittany Ferries' role in enabling these transports and the violation of the law.
Public Backlash
Since Brittany Ferries resumed transporting live animals in 2025, the company has faced significant criticism from animal welfare organisations, veterinarians, scientists, public figures and members of the public. In just a few months, more than 200,000 people contacted Brittany Ferries' leadership urging the company to stop transporting unweaned calves. Polling conducted in key Brittany Ferries markets also shows strong opposition to the practice.
What We and Other NGOs Are Doing
Together with a coalition of animal welfare organisations, FOUR PAWS has mobilised public opposition to Brittany Ferries' involvement in this trade.
Thousands of concerned citizens have contacted the company directly, commented on its social media channels and voiced their concerns through review platforms.
Public scrutiny continues to grow as more people learn about the suffering endured by calves during these journeys and the role ferry operators play in facilitating them.
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