Page 14 - LUA September - October 2023 Magzter

INTERVIEW

Animal transportation is the intentional
movement of animals by transport. Common
categories of animals transported include
horses for racing, breeding and other
competition horses, zoological animals, pets
relocation, farming animals such as cattle,
sheep and other livestock including camels.

With over two decades of experience
in horse transportation and pioneers in
animal transportation, Equitrans has
more or less seen it all and done it all.
The past 20-years has seen the Equitrans
team coordinate the transport of over
50,000 horses and other animals to over
100 countries around the globe. Logistics
Update Africa spoke to David Robson,
Managing Director, Equitrans on the
outlook and challenges. Edited Excerpts.

? What are the key challenges for
transporting animals, especially in
the post-pandemic period?
Transporting live animals, and especially
horses, offers many challenges in normal
times, whilst during and post-pandemic,
the challenges faced by the team reached
a completely new level, effectively forcing
us to innovate by the hour.
This tested us but in many ways quarantines and vaccinations to manage in everything from the vet preparation to
made us sharper and more resilient in these outbreaks that were similar but required blood testing and vaccinations,
a business that is demanding in itself smaller in nature involving horses. So, we the transit and import requirements,
and requires meticulous planning for a adapted to some of it better than those quarantine and airlines. Each element
smooth operation. working in other industries as we had a must tie into a specific time frame, and if
With over 20-years in the equine form of understanding on the restrictions any part is out of sync, it forces changes
shipping business, Equitrans has seen its and quarantine being applied. throughout the entire plan.
fair share of disruption in the industry: We were forced to adapt to changes Of course, it goes without saying that
from the fallout of 9/11 and the financial quickly which included working from containing the costs when things change
collapse of 2008/9 to regional equine home, flight grooms trapped by new or do not go to plan is one of our biggest
disease outbreaks. Yet, nothing really travel regulations, and, of course, challenges with live animals - meaning,
prepared us for the instantaneous the significant fluctuations in flight consistent and significant attention to detail
worldwide impact that Covid-19 and availability and costs. While many of throughout the entire process is required,
its aftermath would wreak across many these Covid-19 related factors have since and the Equitrans team maintains a “hands
industries worldwide. been resolved, we are still faced with on approach” with all shipments.
We have had contingency plans for increased costs, staffing issues in some
years, which is required in this industry, quarantine facilities, regulation changes ? How have regulations changed
yet we never imagined a disruptor of this to border inspection posts, and the over the last two decades for
extent to occur. What has always made us discontinuation of certain flights. animal transport?
most effective as a team is always having Yet, it's not all been bad. It’s been good There is a constant development of live
a “Plan A… B, and even C” on hand as to see increased freighter service volume animal transport regulations, and things
there are so many dynamic and unforeseen even as passenger services and belly continue to improve for better welfare
factors that require managing as we go. capacity become available. of animals and mitigating disease risks
So, in this regard, Covid-19 and Even with Covid a distant memory, to countries. We have evolved from
the aftermath hit hard but we had our dynamic and constantly evolving transporting horses on narrow body
experienced equine disease outbreaks, industry still regularly witnesses changes aircrafts with open top stalls, to enclosed

12 LUA SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2023