Exporting Live Animals

This campaign has motivated the Australian public as almost no other. The horror we all saw on TV or read about has made us realise there is only one solution - BANNING LIVE EXPORT

The facts of this trade in misery have been hidden from us by successive Federal G'ments and
the Live Export Industry. They knew the reaction it would engender and they wanted to protect the dollar
value of the industry rather than protecting the animals in their care.

The Live Export Industry is something Australia should have no part of.

To help bring about a major change in government thinking we need to keep the pressure on
our Federal representatives. This means our Federal MP's and Senators need to be constantly receiving emails, letters and phone calls from us their constituents demanding an end to this trade.

Please spare a couple of minutes to write to your local Federal MP and Senator and ask them to support a ban on live export, simply follow these 3 easy steps:

1. Find out your local Federal MP's and Senators email details or contact form:
Federal MPs in Queensland - Search for your local electorate here, then look up your local MP here

Senators in Queensland - Lookup Senators details here

2. Copy the text below into an email or contact form

3. Place the representatives name at the begining of your letter and add your name and address at the bottom of the message

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I write to express my opposition to Australia's live export trade and to urge you to support a complete ban on live animal export.

The recent footage from Indoneasia not only details yet more appalling cruelty inflicted on Australian animals, but clearly shows the abject failure of the Meat and Livestock Industry to ensure even the most basic of animal care and underlines their complete disregard for these sentient animals.

The damning evidence from countless investigations makes it abundantly clear that the industry is all about spin and does not want to be honest with the Australian public. The only course of action is to ban this trade and prevent more animals suffering such a horrific fate. The Australian public does not want to see any more gruesome footage on TV and the only way to ensure this is to ban live export completely.

I implore you to support a total ban on live export as soon as possible. You have the support of the Australian public behind you. Please make the right decision!

Yours sincerely
[insert your name and address]

Animal Liberation Queensland is opposed to the live export of cattle and sheep because of the high death rate during sea voyages and the many stresses placed upon transported animals. Our position is that any export trade should be in frozen carcasses only and that the animals should be slaughtered as close as possible to where they are reared.

Why does the live export trade exist?
Sheep and cattle are mostly exported to Muslim countries so that the animals can be slaughtered in accordance with Muslim customs. The Halal ritual requires an animal to be alive at the time its throat is cut, thereby precluding the use of stunning methods practiced in Australia.

Incidentally, there is no religious principle for a preference for 'hot' meat derived from an animal freshly killed.

What are the problems with the live export of animals?
There are problems at every stage of export for the millions of sheep and cattle shipped from Australia to the Middle East and South-East Asia each year. This was acknowledged by the Senate Select Committee on Animal Welfare way back in 1985 which condemned the live export trade and recommended that the Federal Government promote and encourage the expansion of the refrigerated meat trade to the Middle East with the aim of eventually substituting this trade for the live export trade.

There is not yet any sign that Australia is putting this major recommendation into practice. In fact locally the Queensland Government has expanded the live export trade in recent years having secured a 5 year contract in 2001 to supply beef cattle to Vietnam. Future live export markets are likely to include China and Mexico with relations between Queensland and these governments already well established.

Stresses of transportation
(Click Image to Enlarge)

Sheep covered in faeces at the end of a three week voyage on "Cormo Express"

Prior to loading on ships, sheep and cattle are subjected to long journeys by rail or road transport. At the port of export, sheep will spend 5 - 10 days in feedlots to accustom them to the pellet diet provided on board.

Cramped Conditions
On board multi-decked vessels, sheep are housed in pens, three to a square metre and the pens are usually stacked two tiers per deck. If the decks are enclosed, animals can suffer in times of high temperature and humidity.

Most deaths occur at sea
The majority of deaths are recorded during the sea voyage. About half of all sheep deaths are caused by starvation because of a failure to adapt successfully to the pellet diet.

Further deaths at destinations
After the ship has arrived at its destination and is stationary with airflow at a minimum, high temperatures and humidity can take their toll, particularly where unloading occurs at several ports, or where inadequate facilities slow the unloading rate. Lack of water, delays at borders and lengthy customs procedures are other factors which have contributed to high death rates.
Upon unloading the 'lucky' animals will be slaughtered immediately whilst others will again be feed lotted.

Numbers of Deaths
On average 100 000 sheep and 2 500 cattle die each year during overseas export. For every sheep that dies in transit, it is estimated that 10 noticeably sicken.

(Click Image to Enlarge)

Dead Sheep covered in faeces at the end of a three week voyage on "Cormo Express"

Disasters
In the past 25 years, hundreds of thousands of animals have been lost through disasters at sea. The Animals Australia factsheet available at www.animalsaustralia.org documents many of these disasters.

Our Campaign Objectives

What you can do
Write a letter, send a fax: 32298541 or e-mail dpi@ministerial.qld.gov.au the Queensland Primary Industries Minister telling of your outrage that the Queensland Government is supporting the live export trade. Demand a stop to this industry and explain the reasons why frozen carcasses are more humane.

Further Information

More detailed information on live export can be found at the following web sites: