One year on: a landmark victory for farmed animals
Together, we made history.
One year ago, in a moment that marked a huge milestone for animal welfare, the UK Government passed legislation to ban the live export of animals from Great Britain for fattening and slaughter. It was a victory more than a century in the making, and today, we reflect on the incredible progress we’ve made, together, as we celebrate the ‘banniversary’.
After 100 years of tireless campaigning, this ban means that British animals will soon be spared the gruelling, traumatic journeys that have caused unimaginable suffering for decades. Some of these journeys lasted over 100 hours. Sheep, calves and pigs were crammed into trucks and ships in distressing conditions, enduring physical injury, hunger, dehydration, extreme stress, mental exhaustion, and, tragically, sometimes death.
According to figures from Defra, up to 40 million farmed animals have been exported from Britain since the 1960s. That’s 13,888 every single week, or 82 animals every hour suffering these brutal journeys. It was cruel. It was unnecessary. And it needed to stop.
And last year, finally, it did.
For over 50 years, the RSPCA has stood shoulder to shoulder with countless individuals and organisations calling for an end to this injustice. From collecting thousands of petition signatures to marching in protest and holding vigils at ports across the UK, the movement to end live exports has been one of determination, compassion, and unity.
A moment to remember
On 15 May 2024, something extraordinary happened. We stood with Compassion in World Farming and Kent Action Against Live Exports (KAALE) at the iconic White Cliffs of Dover, a place that has long symbolised the suffering of animals shipped overseas. But this time, we were not there to protest. We were there to celebrate.
That day, we looked out over the Channel not with sorrow, but with pride. The cliffs became a beacon of hope, a backdrop for a moment that will go down in history. Campaigners, supporters, and animal lovers came together to mark the end of a practice that never should have existed in the first place. After so many years of heartbreak, we were finally able to say: We did it, it’s finally over.
It was an emotional and powerful day, filled with gratitude, reflection and renewed hope. That moment represented not just the end of an era of suffering, but the beginning of a more compassionate future for farmed animals in Great Britain.
Thank you
To every single person who signed a petition, marched, protested at ports, spoke up for animals, or supported our work, thank you. Your voice made a difference.
To the UK Government, thank you for finally recognising that live animal exports were a stain on our nation’s reputation for animal welfare, and for taking bold, decisive action to end them.
Together, we achieved something truly momentous for animals.
This victory is a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we unite for change. It’s proof that compassion, perseverance, and people power can create a better world. And we won’t stop here.
Let’s keep building on this moment. Let’s continue fighting for every animal, because they all deserve a life worth living.
Here’s to a future where every sentient being is treated with kindness, dignity, and respect.
How you can help support farmed animals
Those who eat meat, fish, eggs or dairy can look for the RSPCA Assured logo on products when shopping in supermarkets. The RSPCA Assured label on food packaging is an easy way to identify products that have come from animals that have had a better life and were farmed, transported and humanely slaughtered to the RSPCA’s higher welfare standards.
RSPCA Assured is the only farm assurance scheme solely dedicated to improving farmed animal welfare. There are, on average, 700 RSPCA standards that must be met for each species. Without the work of RSPCA Assured and the RSPCA welfare standards, many millions of farmed animals would have little or no protection at all. Find out more about
We’re here for the animals.
About the author
Jodie - Website Manager
Jodie is RSPCA Assured's Website Manager.