The EU regulation concerning the evaluation of animals’ fitness for transportation is in several ways quite vague, which leaves room for individual interpretation of the legislation with a potential negative impact on animal welfare. In order to guide the interpretation of the unclear statements within the legislation, all forensic case files handled during a 10-year period (2014-2023) on Danish pigs and cattle which had been declared unfit for transportation and subsequently reported to the police, were evaluated. A total of 327 case files addressing 428 animals were examined. Most pigs had been declared unfit for transportation due to the presence of severe open wounds, whereas lameness was the main reason for unfitness for transportation of cattle. In conclusion, most wounds rendering both pigs and cattle unfit for transportation measured at least 3 cm in diameter apart from those located on sensitive areas, e.g. tails. Manifestations rendering pigs unfit for transportation due to lameness were primarily joint lesions, whereas fractures were the dominating cause of lameness in cattle. Therefore, focus should be on these manifestations when assessing animals for transport fitness.