‘Cows covered in sewage’ Veterinarian on the Spiridon II tragedy

Veterinarian Lynn Simpson has worked on 57 live export voyages. We spoke to her about the suffering of nearly 3,000 cows trapped at sea aboard the Spiridon II.

“Inside, these ships are like multi-story car parks. Some have up to 16 decks. Spiridon II has about 7. Many are below the waterline. The animals on the lower decks don’t see any natural light for the entire journey,” Simpson explained.

The animals have been on the ship for 60 days. The ship left Uruguay on September 20th with 2,901 female cows, half of them pregnant. It was rejected in Turkey due to paperwork issues.

“These voyages are incredibly hard on the animals. They’re on concrete, in a confined, hot, humid space, perfect for bacteria and viruses to thrive. About 90% of deaths on these voyages are due to pneumonia. The rest are mostly from infected leg injuries,” Simpson said.

They might sink the boat

The animals and crew members have not been allowed off the ship for 60 days, with no country willing to accept the animals.

Animal welfare groups and veterinarians, including Simpson, have sent an urgent appeal to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

They warn that the ship has become a floating crisis of animal suffering and waste buildup.

When asked what the state of these animals is after 60 days, Simpson replied: “They would be covered in sewage. Like ice creams dipped in chocolate, but it’s sewage. Especially around their bellies and legs, anywhere they lie down.”

“Ships like this are often loaded to maximum density. That means not all animals can lie down at once. One lies down while another stands over it, transferring the sewage from its feet to the back of the one lying down. It gets everywhere,” she added.

There are fears the ship could even be sunk at sea, with the animals still onboard.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Spanish authorities, the European Parliament, and maritime coastguards are now all aware of the suffering on the ship. So far, no authority has responded to this crisis.

Watch the interview with former live animal export veterinarian Lynn Simpson here.