Sheep - Live Export

Australia's Live Sheep Trade

The Facts

In September 1996, nearly 70,000 sheep were abandoned at sea on the carrier Uniceb and slowly burned to death or were drowned or starved. Each year, more than 100,000 sheep die on these voyages - of disease, heat, cold and starvation. Another 150,000 die in Middle East feedlots.

The Conditions

During the 3-week journey, sheep are immobilised in an area hardly bigger than themselves. They cannot exercise - they can scarcely move. They live on pellets, they stand in their own excrement.

The Slaughter

Sheep which survive the journey and the unloading are killed by having their throats cut without pre-stunning.

The Cost

• To the sheep: Long weeks of suffering, followed by an agonising death.
• To the environment: Approximately 4,000 tonnes of manure and 2-6 million litres of urine are washed into the sea each voyage. Bodies of sheep which die at sea are thrown overboard.
• To the economy: About 12,000 meatworking and associated industry jobs are lost to the Live Sheep Trade. (Until the world goes vegetarian, this is the lesser of the two evils).

Thousands of sheep wait to be loaded onto the transport ship. Notice the tiers of pens at the top left of picture - their "home" for the next three weeks (all things going well).

A look inside one of the ships. Conditions are similar to intensive livestock production.

On 27 March 1980, the Farid Fares caught fire and sank. The entire "cargo" of 40,605 sheep perished.

The torment and death often begin even before the voyage - many accidents occur. The following picture shows a truckload of sheep that died on the way to the ship when the truck carrying them overturned.

 

Things CAN change

In September 1995, the South African government banned the importation of live sheep. They said:
"The transportation of meat in live form is archaic and inhumane."

What can you do?

Write to The Minister for Primary Industries & Energy

Public silence permits this obscene trade to continue. Your protest helps stops it.

Sample letter to The Minister that you can copy and paste:

The Minister for Primary Industries & Energy
Commonwealth Government
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2601
Australia

Re: The Live Sheep Trade

Dear Minister,

Like millions of other people world-wide, I was very distressed to hear about the 70,000 sheep who burned to death at sea when the carrier Uniceb was abandoned.

It is terrible to think of the fate of these animals and the 100,000 more each year that die during that terrible 3-week journey to the Middle East.

The Chilled Carcass Trade is an available and profitable alternative and Halal slaughtering is already being done in Australia to meet special religious requirements.

For every kind of reason, I urge you to Ban Live Exports from Australia.

Yours sincerely,

Signature:

Address:

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