Reuters  

Wednesday March 21 7:55 AM ET
Squirrel Shredding Scandal Costs $14,000 

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch airline KLM was fined $14,340 Tuesday after it
shredded 440 Chinese ground squirrels in April 1999.

The court ruled KLM staff at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport had no choice
but to kill the animals which had incorrect European health and
import documents for their onward journey to the fur trade in Greece.

But it reprimanded the airline for the poor treatment of the squirrels in
the days leading to the slaughter, when they were kept in cramped
cages without food or water, and for allowing the animals to start the
long journey in the first place.

KLM had admitted not following International Air Transport Association
(IATA) rules regarding the packing of animals. An agent in Beijing
had been assigned to the task, but had done so incorrectly. KLM no longer
works with the agent.

The squirrels were being flown from Beijing, via Amsterdam, to Athens. But
because of the incorrect papers, they could neither be flown on
to Athens, nor returned to China.

The court said the shredding, which sparked an outcry from the public and
animal groups, was indeed shocking, but ruled the process was no
more painful than other methods of killing the animals.

The court ordered 15,000 guilders of the total fine should be paid to
Dutch animal welfare organization the National Association for Animal
Protection.

KLM spokesman Hugo Baas told Reuters he hoped the airline could close the
book on the case and said it was considering donating a further
15,000 guilders to another animal cause such as the World Wildlife Fund
for Nature.

He added that KLM would be monitored for the coming six months over its
animal welfare.

``This is a dark chapter in our history and I hope it will never happen
again,'' Bass said.

Since the incident, KLM has banned transporting this type of animal and
has improved its quarantine facilities.

``I share the fierce emotions which people had when they heard about
it...It sent shivers down your spine.'' 

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