Live Animal Exports

In the wake of the public outcry the Four Corners program A Bloody Business, this is the best opportunity that we have had to ban live exports for good. If you have not already emailed Julia Gillard to tell her to end this horrific industry please do so now!

Every year, tens of thousands of sheep and cattle die on the ships before they reach the Middle East.  In 2010 alone, nearly 32,000 sheep died on sheep voyages.  in 2010, nearly 1500 cattle died on the sea voyage and more died due to illness and disease upon arrival. During the voyage, an animal will fall victim to:

• Blindness due to salt spray and dust
• Inanition (failure to eat) through stress and motion sickness, accounting for 47 per cent of animal deaths on board.
• Salmonellosis, the cause of 27 per cent of animal deaths on board.
• Trauma, which accounts for 12 per cent of animal deaths on board.
• Heat stress, suffered by animals not accustomed to tropical heat and humidity
• Upon arrival in overseas countries, animals endure further transport and cruel handling. The routine slaughter method in the majority of importing countries is cutting of throat without pre-stunning, ensuring a prolonged, painful and terrifying death.  Such slaughter is, quite rightly, illegal in Australia.

A single veterinarian/stockman for sometimes more than 100,000 animals on board cannot be expected to find, yet alone treat ill animals.

Western Australia conducts around 80% of Australia's live export trade.  It exports animals from Broome, Geraldton, Port Hedland, and Fremantle Ports to Asia and the Middle East for slaughter.  Each year, Australia ships millions of animals overseas to countries that have no animal welfare standards. 

 On average, 180,000 cattle are exported from WA to Indonesia from the WA ports of Broome, Fremantle, Geraldton and Wyndham. In 2010 a total of 170,555 cattle were exported to Indonesia from Western Australia. Already this year, 7,010 cattle have been exported to Indonesia.  The Agriculture Minister answered questions in Parliament last week and advised that the major destinations in Indonesia are Belawan, Dumai, Jakarta–Tanjung Priok, Panjang and Surabaya, which account for more than 97 per cent of Western Australian cattle imported into Indonesia.

The vast majority of animals exported live from Australia are sheep and cattle, and there has been a significant rise in the number of goat, buffalo, and camel exports.  We believe that the existing trade could be successfully replaced with an already established and halal-accredited chilled and frozen carcass industry. 

Animals could then be slaughtered within Australia under animal welfare provisions.  A local halal-accredited chilled meat trade would also benefit the local economy and create jobs within the economy.  To date, there has been little effort to develop this approach.

Live animal exports is an issue that brings people together, from all political pursuasions.  In the Fremantle area, State MLC Lynn MacLaren, Federal MP Melissa Parkes and Fremantle Mayor, Brad Pettitt are joining forces to put an end to this barbaric trade, creating three tiers of government opposition.

On 26 May 2010, a historic decision was made by the City of Fremantle to support a phase out of live exports.  Fremantle has adopted a policy aimed at putting an end to live sheep exports from the port. 

Check out highlights from the 12 October Live Export Forum in Fremantle.

LINKS

Stop Live Exports

Animals Australia

World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)

Humane Society International