This morning in Calerno di Sant’Ilario d’Enza, in the Reggio Emilia area, at a roundabout between Via Emilia and Via XXV Aprile, a truck used for transporting pigs overturned, losing control at the entrance to the intersection. The heavy vehicle ended up on its side and the trailer opened, releasing dozens of animals which immediately invaded the surrounding area, with many motorists forced to stop in front of a completely unexpected scene and try to avoid the animals.
Pigs fleeing between roads, fields and docks
Once out of the truck, the missing pigs started running in different directions: some along the roadway, others towards the agricultural fields and side docks, until they even reached nearby courtyards and private areas. Traffic quickly went haywire, with queues forming on both directions of the Via Emilia and slowdowns also from the connections with Montecchio and from the Terre di Canossa toll booth. The authorities arranged detours and alternative routes to reduce inconvenience, but the queues continued for some time, with slowdowns spread across the entire area.
Maxi intervention by law enforcement and veterinarians
A complex rescue machine was activated on site. The Carabinieri, local police of Val d’Enza, traffic police, firefighters, civil protection and the local health authority’s veterinary service intervened, with the aim of making both the animals and road traffic safe.
The recovery operations proved to be delicate: some pigs, frightened and disoriented, moved further away, making it necessary to progressively contain the area. The teams worked to avoid further escapes and to prevent risks to passing motorists.
The recovery of animals between difficulties and patience
The arrival of a second transport truck was necessary to bring the pigs under control. The animals were gradually directed towards the alternative means thanks to the intervention of the veterinarians and operators on site. To facilitate the operation, the pigs were hydrated and also lured with food, while the teams worked for a long time between the roadway and adjacent land. A slow and complex intervention, which took hours to bring the situation under control.
Driver uninjured and dynamics to be clarified
The driver of the vehicle was unharmed, but visibly shaken by the incident. The dynamics of the accident are now being examined by the competent authorities, who will have to reconstruct what caused the lorry to lose control at the entrance to the roundabout. When the last animal was recovered and the roadway cleared, traffic slowly returned to normal.
Yet another accident involving the transport of live animals
Faced with the viral images of pigs running on the Via Emilia, amidst incredulous motorists and paralyzed traffic, one cannot help but reflect on the age-old question of the transport of live animals. Episodes like that of Calerno in fact show all the fragility of a system that moves thousands of animals over hundreds of kilometers every day, often in extremely stressful conditions.
In fact, road transport represents one of the most critical moments for animals destined for breeding or slaughter. Long journeys, continuous noise, heat, limited space and sudden braking can cause physical and psychological stress, injuries and, in the most serious cases, even death.
When accidents like the one in the Reggio Emilia area occur, the risk increases further: the animals can be crushed, injured or run over during the escape. It is not the first time that similar episodes end up in the Italian news. In recent years, several accidents involving trucks loaded with cattle, pigs or poultry have sparked the debate on the need to reduce the transport of live animals as much as possible with stricter controls on travel conditions.
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