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Live Animal Export

The Handle with Care coalition is an international alliance of 10 leading animal welfare organisations [led by the World Society for the Protection of Animals] which opposes the cruelty and suffering caused to millions of animals around the world by transporting them unnecessarily long distances just to be slaughtered.

The coalition believes animals should be killed as close as possible to the point where they were reared and that animals for immediate or near immediate slaughter should not be transported beyond the nearest available abattoir.

As well as RSPCA Australia, some of the other welfare organisations in the coalition include:

• RSPCA UK

• Compassion in World Farming

• ILPH – Protecting Horses Worldwide

• Born Free USA

• Eurogroup For Animals

• Humane Society International

• Animals Australia

An International concern

Animal welfare organisations around the world have identified the long distance transport of animals for slaughter as one of the greatest causes of animal suffering in the world. Globally the trade involves over one billion animals per week.

The Handle with Care coalition ‘call to action’ in Australia

The coalition is asking the Australian Government to ban live exports, most urgently the live export of sheep to the Middle East, and to replace this cruel and unnecessary trade with a trade in chilled and frozen meat from animals that have been humanely transported and slaughtered in Australia.

There are two main livestock transport for slaughter scenarios in Australia:

• The land transport of animals by road, or occasionally rail, to an abattoir or export port within Australia.

• The export of livestock by sea from Australia for slaughter in other countries.

Australian livestock are exported to 29 countries, primarily to the Middle East and Asia.

Australia exports live animals to meet a demand for Halal slaughter.  Australia, however, also exports chilled and/or frozen meats to every country it exports live animals to and has Halal certified export abattoirs currently supplying high quality Halal meat to the Middle East.

The journeys

Sheep exported to the Middle East can face a journey of up to 35 days from leaving the farm in Australia to arriving at their destination. Cattle exported from Australia to South East Asia undertake sea voyages that may last up to 10 days.

Sadly, the disaster of the MV Cormo Express in 2003 resulted in approximately 57,000 sheep being stranded at sea for three months after being rejected by a Saudi Arabian importer. When an alternative buyer could not be found, the Australian Government purchased the sheep and donated them to Eritrea.

Tragically, many animals die during transport

Sadly, tens of thousands sheep die on ships before they reach the Middle East.  In 2006, a total of 36,408 sheep died on sea voyages.

On its maiden voyage and boasting the highest standards of animal welfare, the MV Becrux in 2002 carried 1,995 cattle and 60,000 sheep to Saudi Arabia. Tragically many of these animals perished after the vessel met extreme temperatures and humidity in the Arabian Gulf after coming from a cold Victorian winter.

Benefits of ending live exports

• Thousands of animals will be saved from death during a long export journey.

• Upon arrival on foreign soil, hundreds of animals will be saved from abhorrent and cruel treatment.

• Slaughtering of animals in Australia ensures it is done humanely; tragically many animals are killed without stunning in overseas countries.

• Ending live exports offer opportunities to Australian industry – chilled and frozen meat.

• Australia has the opportunity to set an international example by leading change and ending live exports.

How can the public support an end to live export?

• Write to the Federal Minister of Agriculture, Tony Burke, Parliament House, Canberra

• Contact your local Federal Member of Parliament

• Write a letter to the Editor

• Spread the word about the cruelty of live exports.

For more information please visit the Handle With Care website.