Live Export
© WSPA / Reuben Brand
Last year the New Zealand Government received thousands of letters from WSPA supporters horrified by the news that the country was considering resuming its live sheep trade – a trade proven to be both cruel and unnecessary.
Thank you for acting to protect sheep from weeks of suffering. Your voice has definitely been heard. Agriculture Minister, Hon David Carter, is no longer talking about the live sheep trade as being an “opportunity” for New Zealand farmers. His office is now stressing that strict animal welfare standards, during transport and on arrival, would have to be met if the trade were to resume, and that any new agreement with Saudi Arabia would not automatically herald a resumption of the trade.
The Customs Export Prohibition (Livestock for Slaughter) Order 2007, which remains in force, requires an exemption from the Director-General of MAF to export cattle, sheep, deer or goats for slaughter, regardless of the country of destination. New Zealand’s Animal Welfare Act requirements would also need to be met.
Hon David Carter states in a letter to WSPA that “animal welfare is vitally important to New Zealand and I am very aware of the strong public opinion on this matter. I am also conscious of international animal welfare organisations’ opposition to the long distance transportation of live animals for slaughter.”
“I can assure you that as Minister of Agriculture, I am committed to protecting and promoting New Zealand’s reputation as a responsible exporter of agricultural products and that I will continue to work in Government to achieve this objective.”
Bridget Vercoe, WSPA’s country manager, says this is clearly good news for New Zealand sheep. The Government’s motivation to resume New Zealand’s cruel live sheep trade has slowed. WSPA is hopeful that the trade will now not resume but we will be keeping a watchful eye on this issue. If the situation changes, WSPA along with New Zealand’s other animal welfare organizations, will again make sure the welfare of the animals is at the forefront of all discussion.
We must ensure that calls for animal welfare continue to be heard above the demands of Awassi New Zealand, the company lobbying to restart this live animal trade.
The stark fact remains that despite the efforts of many Governments to improve the welfare of transported livestock, it is impossible to prevent the inherent suffering of animals transported long distances by sea.
Live export trade cruel and unnecessary
© WSPA / Reuben Brand
In 2006, Australia, the world’s largest exporter of sheep for slaughter, exported more than four million sheep to the Middle East. Almost 37,000 of these animals died from pneumonia, salmonellosis and starvation during the gruelling journey
Transporting animals long distances involves changes to their whole environment; they are moved from familiar areas and encounter strange materials, smells, sights, sounds and vibrations, they may be handled and mixed with unfamiliar animals, subjected to changes in temperature and air movement, possibly hurt or injured and restricted in terms of space, feed and water.
Upon arrival on foreign soil, New Zealand sheep are no longer under New Zealand protection and can be treated appallingly. Video evidence collected by animal welfare organisations of Australian sheep in Middle East countries shows rough handling and inappropriate transport including being trussed and dragged by a limb, tied onto roof racks or placed in car boots.
“Whatever way you look at it, the long distance transport of animals falls well short of providing animals with the level of protection now demanded by most countries and runs counter to New Zealand’s pioneering animal welfare legislation,” says Ms Vercoe.
New Zealand is well known for its humane sheep farming systems. Allowing live sheep exports to resume would severely tarnish New Zealand’s reputation as a leader in animal welfare and could impact on our agricultural exports.
Even a small decline in trade due to consumer resistance to our agricultural exports would have a greater impact on the New Zealand economy than lost revenue from restricting live animal exports, she says.
Watch a short video to see the cruelty of long distance transport.