Sheep & Cattle Still Suffer As Live Export Breaches Continue In Kuwait

An Animals Australia investigation has again found Australian sheep being illegally sold in a cruel livestock market in Kuwait, despite Animals Australia first notifying Australian authorities of breaches at this market some five months ago.

Under the new live export rules, exporters must ensure that animals remain within approved supply chains. New evidence from Animals Australia has revealed that months after our initial complaint, Australian sheep have continued to be sold and brutally slaughtered at the notorious Al Rai livestock market, in Kuwait. Animals at this marketplace are known to have their legs bound together, be stuffed into car boots, dragged over concrete slabs, and have their throats cut while fully conscious.

This footage taken in August 2012 sparked Animals Australia’s original complaint to the Department of Agriculture.

Warning Very Graphic Video

In January 2013, an investigator returned to the Al Rai market and found even more Australian sheep being offered for sale by at least 11 separate merchants.

Many admitted knowing that they shouldn’t have Australian sheep and ear tags had been ripped out or removed despite the fact that Australian sheep are clearly distinguishable from local sheep in the region. All of the merchants at the market offered slaughter onsite as an ‘after sales’ service.

The Al Rai market in Kuwait City is notorious for cruelty. Animals Australia has conducted a number of investigations there, each time documenting the brutal handling, transport and slaughter of Australian sheep. Preventing Australian sheep from being sold in such circumstances was a cornerstone of why the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System was implemented. Yet nearly one year after ESCAS came into effect in Kuwait, rules continue to be breached and animals continue to suffer.

Al Rai market was already the obvious place in the Middle East for exporters to monitor – the fact they have not done so, even after breaches were discovered, shows how little they care and their willingness to thumb their nose at government regulations. If exporters are not prepared to follow the rules they should have their export licence removed.

Please send an urgent message to your Federal MP to express your opposition to this cruel trade and demand that, while it continues, tough sanctions must be placed on exporters who fail to adhere to the rules.

Petition in link For Australian Citizens only:- http://www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/kuwait-cruelty-continues/

Petition for other Countries:–http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/841/664/709/

Australian cattle are again at the centre of a shocking expose that is making international headlines.

Frightened animals being bashed, hit, shocked with an electric prod in the eyes and face before suffering a terrifying death… these are the images filmed by Israeli journalist and undercover investigator, Ronen Bar.Watch his interview…

WARNING: contains Very graphic images.

Published on 11 Dec 2012

WARNING: Graphic vision. YOU CAN HELP: 1) Like & comment. 2) Go to http://AnimalsAustralia.org/israel to sign an instant letter against live animal export.

Please email your Federal MP — express your opposition to this cruel trade and demand that while it continues, there must be independent inspection and oversight in importing countries. For Australian Citizens only:-http://animalsaustralia.org/israel

Live export cruelty continues

Sadly Australia is one of the biggest exporters of live animals for slaughter. In 2011 Australia exported around 700,000  cattle predominantly to Indonesia, and around 2.5 million sheep mainly to  the Middle East.

WSPA Australia works actively on this issue of live exports, and the campaign is called ‘Humane Chain’. 

During the journey animals can experience stress, heat exhaustion and extreme temperatures. Many don’t eat, are injured or suffer from disease. Despite efforts made by both the Australian Government and the live export industry to regulate the export process, tens of thousands of animals continue to die every year while being exported.

Almost half of all deaths on board sheep vessels are due to starvation because some sheep are not able to identify the unfamiliar pellets they’re given as food.

For every animal that dies, many more suffer further cruelty

Moving to the alternatives to live animal export will not only help animals, it’s also better for our economy

There are alternatives to live animal export that will benefit farmers, jobs, our economy and the animals.

According to an independent assessment (S G Heilbron, 2000) live animal export costs Australia $1.5 billion in lost GDP, $270 million in lost household income and around 10,500 lost jobs.

WSPA funded researched in 2012 that shows that northern cattle farmers could increase their income by 245% if they had access to an abattoir. It would also add $200 million to the regional economy each year and create 1300 jobs. Read the research here.

WSPA funded research in 2010 that shows a sheep processed in Australia is worth 20% more to the economy that one exported live. Read the research here.

WSPA Live Sheep Exports It’s Just so Cruel

This video shows evidence collected during WSPA’s recent investigation into the mistreatment of Australian sheep. Investigators have documented cruelty throughout the live export supply chain, from transportation on ships, through to holding yards and abattoirs in the Middle East. You can take action to help end this cruel trade by visiting http://www.humanechain.org

Petition for any Country:–http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/841/664/709/

You can watch a short video that explains the benefits of moving away from live exports and the next steps we should take here.

Halal certified chilled meat products from Australia are accepted both in the Middle East and in Indonesia. There’s no excuse to continue the live animal export trade.

Australians want an end to live animal export

Three quarters (74%), or 12.4 million, of Australians claim that they are more likely to vote for a political candidate who promises to end live animal export, according to a Longeran Poll from May 2012. 

Those animals that survive the journey arrive on foreign soil where they are no longer under Australian protection. Few  countries to which Australia sends animals for slaughter have equivalent animal welfare protection laws. Many animals will be slaughtered fully conscious.

Links Animals Australia:-http://www.animalsaustralia.org/take_action/kuwait-cruelty-continues/

Links WSPCA:-http://www.wspa.org.au/wspaswork/liveexport/default.aspx

Livestock cruelty allegation forces exports probe

September 7, 2012

Livestock exporters are being investigated after allegations that Australian sheep are being illegally sold and slaughtered in an inhumane way at a notorious Kuwait market.

It is the second major Agriculture Department investigation since strict new animal welfare rules were implemented after last year’s cattle slaughter controversy in Indonesia.

A photo taken at the Kuwait market. Photo: Animal Australia

Animals Australia lodged the complaint after the animal protection organisation’s Kuwaiti investigator discovered exported sheep were being sold in non-approved markets and killed in makeshift abattoirs, with slaughtermen ignoring international killing guidelines.

The case has again raised concerns from activists, Labor backbenchers, the Greens and independents that the new rules rely too much on self-regulation by the industry.

Exporters now must comply with rules that assure high animal welfare standards from farm to slaughter. All animals are tracked so officials know that animals are slaughtered in approved facilities.

Exporters must have supply chains independently audited, with the audit results given to the Agriculture Department.

The investigation has heightened fears over animal welfare with the upcoming Muslim festival of sacrifice, Eid al-Adha less than two months away.

Animals Australia lead campaigner Lyn White warned the festival was the peak period of animal suffering across the region and called on the government to implore exporters to have staff in every market place to ensure animals are not sold into non-approved facilities.

‘‘Animals being bought en mass for sacrificial slaughter by families and individuals. We hold grave concerns that Australian exported animals will continue to find their way into markets, in breach of regulations,’’ Ms White said.

Many in the industry are also worried about the potential for more cruelty in October.

Labour backbenchers Melissa Parke and Kelvin Thomson have led a vocal campaign against the trade with both seizing on the latest revelations as evidence the industry cannot be trusted to self-regulate.

Ms Parke, and Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon, backed calls for Australian officials to be in the Middle East to monitor welfare during the festival.

Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig said the new system was working but was ‘‘not perfect’’ conceding there would be slip-ups.

‘‘But we now have the provisions in place to act on those slip ups and hold exporters accountable for their actions and supply chains,’’ Senator Ludwig said.

The department of agriculture is currently investigating alleged breaches of strict new animal welfare The celebration of Eid al-Adha in the Middle-East involves a slaughtering of an animal such as a sheep, camel, or goat, to commemorate Abraham’s act of faith to sacrifice his son. The festival runs from the evening of October 25 to the next night.

Animals Australia has previously uncovered cruelty during the festival, including sheep being dragged along the ground and stuffed into car boots.

Ms White said hundreds of Australian sheep were sold last month at the non-approved Al-Rai market in Kuwait City, the market where she uncovered cruelty in 2010.

Describing the killing of a sheep, she said: ”With the buyer and [his] family crowded into the room to observe, the handling of this sheep included dragging it over and placing it next to and then on top of other just-slaughtered sheep … to prepare it for the throat cut.”

She said the slaughter-man used a knife that was too short, with a fast sawing action, not the quick ”sticking” of the neck required by international rules.

Ms White said the offences were ”critical non-compliances” that could lead to criminal sanctions, adding that the fact that hundreds of Australian sheep were seen at four different sites on two days showed a ”systematic and deliberate breach”.

”The government will no doubt again say that this shows the system is working but how can that be the case when breaches are only being reported by Animals Australia.”

Emanuel Exports and its sister company International Livestock Exports are the only businesses currently exporting to Kuwait. Emanuel Exports would not comment until the investigation was finished.

Earlier this year two exporters were found to have breached the rules in Indonesia after Animals Australia investigations.

Mr Thomson said he would raise questions about the case when Parliament resumes next week.

”The selling and slaughter of animals outside approved supply chains is a serious breach of the new system and exporters who allow it should have their export licence taken off them,” Mr Thomson said.

Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie will introduce a bill in Parliament on Monday to mandate pre-slaughter stunning of all Australian animals overseas.

He said this case made a ”mockery” of the government’s efforts to clean up the trade.

An Agriculture Department spokesman said the investigation would take weeks.

News Link: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/livestock-cruelty-allegation-forces-exports-probe-20120906-25hca.html#ixzz25miK0HLD

‘Stop Animal Cruelty In Kuwait’

KUWAIT CITY, April 11: “Controlling the growing population of stray dogs and cats in Kuwait by poisoning them is inhumane, ineffective and un-Islamic and it must be stopped,” stated Nadia Al Kandari, Kuwaiti animal activist and retired investigator in the Ministry of Interior on Tuesday during a lecture forum on animal cruelty and animal rights dubbed “You can help us save animals in Kuwait “organized by the AWARE Center in Surra.

Nadia Al-Kandari (Left), And Claudia Farkas Al-Rashoud

Al Kandari together with local photojournalist Claudia Farkas Al Rashoud tackled cases of animal poisoning, effects of animal poisoning to animals, people and the environment, measures taken by animal welfare groups and steps that need to be taken by the residents and citizens as well as the government to finally stop animal cruelty in Kuwait.

Al Kandari and Al Rashoud cited in their lecture presentation that with the inhumane ongoing official policy of poisoning stray dogs and cats, the status of animal rights in Kuwait has reached a new low.

Added to that, the widespread practice of dog fighting, illegal importation and breeding of wild animals that are unsuitable or dangerous as pets, dismal conditions in the animal section of the Friday Market, and other unpunished acts of animal cruelty all tarnish Kuwait’s reputation in the international community.

“There are about 5,000 stray dogs in Kuwait as well as a huge number of feral cats that have been subjected to animal poisoning everyday,” disclosed Al Rashoud. She cited that the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) has contracted a local company to carry out the animal population management control by poisoning them.

“Poisoning a stray animal results in very slow and very painful death.

It can take as long as several days to kill an animal and this is against Islamic principles. There is a fatwa (official religious ruling) against cruelty to animals, so whether or not you like dogs, poisoning them is definitely haram,” pointed out Al Kandari.

Al Rashoud explained that animal poisoning is ineffective in placing the population of stray animals under control as many animals do not identify the poison as food while humane methods are a better alternative.
“Animal poisoning poses danger to rare wildlife as well as pet animals that accidentally ingest a poisoned pellet placed randomly in parks and other sites. It can even kill a kid strolling in a place where poisoned dog food that sometimes comes in sugar cube is scattered around,” she cited.

To read the rest of this post please click here:-Arabtimesonline.com