Cows killed in horrific Melbourne truck crash

View all photos for this campaign in the photo gallery

At around 8.30pm on Tuesday 23 July 2024, a truck carrying dairy steers and calves crashed into the Cremorne Railway Bridge over Alexandra Avenue, in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra. 

The top sections of the truck were completely crushed, with many cows suffering excruciating injuries including broken legs and necks. Others jumped from the top of the truck and attempted to run, with some sighted running down major roads. 

FTP investigators attended and documented the horrific crash, filming injured and panicked cows as they tried to free themselves from the wreckage of the top level. 

With Victoria Police and Agriculture Victoria showing little interest in the welfare of the cows, and instead prioritising the removal of cows from the truck's lower level onto a second truck to be sent to a slaughterhouse, volunteers from Vets For Compassion pushed to be allowed to tranquilise the injured to relieve them of their pain and suffering and assess their condition. Several cows had to be euthanised on site due to the extent of their injuries.

Just before 1am, police moved on the crowd of concerned citizens who had gathered to film and witness the removal of the cows. Despite multiple offers of homes for the cows, police refused to pass on contact details to the owners, informing those gathered that they would have to contact Agriculture Victoria. 

While crashes and rollovers of trucks carrying farmed animals are common, they usually occur in rural areas, not in the heart of Melbourne where they are less easy to ignore. This incident is a direct consequence of our society's support for the dairy and meat industries.

Thank you to the dedicated volunteers from Vets For Compassion for attending the scene and assisting the injured animals. Please consider donating to support their work. 

View all 3 videos for this campaign in the video gallery

Sanctuary, not slaughter!

These cows have suffered enough. Help us push for Agriculture Victoria to facilitate the release of all of them into the care of an animal sanctuary. Call 136 186 from 8am to ask them to act to free these cows. 

• Cows gravely injured as cattle truck slams into Melbourne bridge

  Wednesday 24 Jul 2024 by Anna Houlahan (The North West Star)

  A cattle truck packed with cows has crashed into a South Yarra bridge with some of the animals reportedly suffering "excruciating injuries", Dairy Truth said.
• ‘Pain and fear’: 22 cows die after truck crashes into South Yarra bridge

  Wednesday 24 Jul 2024 by Patrick Hatch (The Age)

  The cows were either killed or had to be euthanised. An animal rights group says the surviving cows should be sent to a sanctuary.
• At least 22 cattle dead after truck smashes into Melbourne rail bridge in ‘horrific’ crash | Melbourne | The Guardian

  Wednesday 24 Jul 2024 by Benita Kolovos and Martin Farrer (The Guardian)

  Some injured cows were euthanised while others were found dead on the truck at the South Yarra crash scene
• Cattle injured as loaded livestock truck crashes into Melbourne bridge

  Wednesday 24 Jul 2024 by (Big Rigs)

  A truck loaded with cattle crashed into a railway bridge on Alexandra Avenue, South Yarra last night, injuring numerous animals and causing significant traffic delays.
• Calls for truck safety crackdown following grisly Melbourne livestock truck crash

  Wednesday 24 Jul 2024 by Grace Frost (Herald Sun)

  The moments leading up to the horrific smash involving a cattle truck have been revealed as calls grow for greater management of livestock trucks on city roads.

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