Live animal trade
Posted by: CAT17
15th Jul 2011 08:14pm
I have been following the live animal trade and after the images on the 4Corners program I have joined Animals Australia and RSPCA. These societies have done an incredible job brining the country's attention to this cruel and inhumane trade. How do others feel about this and have you done anything to put your views out there? I have written to politicians and even the PM herself received a "strong" protest from me. It is cases like this that the voice of the people is heard if enough of us "yell" loudly and can change things. I want this trade stopped permanently and have put to politicians the fact that this trade can no longer go on. Let me know your thoughts and feelings.
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Comments 26
eugenie
More animal abuse in Egypt again, after the government telling us of all they had put in place so it wouldn't happen again. I have notified both parties they will not get our family votes if they are not going to stop this horrific continuing abuse to animals. What happened to all the supposed checks? We have to find out about it from Animals Australia otherwise we would not know
eugenie
So here we go again, this time horrific footage from a slaughterhouse in Israel, again supposedly okayed by Government. I will not be voting for any party in favour of live animal export to anywhere. My federal member knows my name well, I have sent so many emails to her, but nothing changes, all the government does is fight among themselves
col001
Nothing will change while live animal exports remain part of Australia's international trade. In answer to your earlier question, animals are slaughted in other countries based on religion. If we don't export live animals, someone else will, and because it is a large part of Australia's export trade, no government will stop it.
I don't concede that farmers and graziers are greedy, but like all other workers they need to make a living. There will always be times that will see them caught up in issues like this. It's the middle men, those that earn their money from the export business itself that are greedy, and wash their hands of any problems when they receive the cheque. Farmers just pay the price.
Other countries don't have the same laws as Australia, hence the 4 corners program, and the government's initial reaction was a knee jerk reaction. The only way to ensure this doesn't happen is to stop live export altogether. I think that was what they tried but the industry brings billions of export dollars to Australia, simply won't happen.
Megahand
I think that it is outrages and i don't know how people can live with them selves by doing this! I too have written letters and signed patitions to try and stop this cruel act but some people just don't get the point, it makes me so mad!!
CAT17
Keep on 'yelling out loud' to protect animals - shop wisely and when you can join oganisations who rally in the name of the rights of animals. I so admire the people who give freely of their time to attend rallies and fund raising events. I have volunteered when I can and to mix with people of the same mind is very refreshing. Makes me feel good knowing that things are slowly changing because of Animals Australia and RSPCA - we all should support them.
I'M FOR ANIMALS!
eugenie
I will not be voting in the next election for any political party that is going to allow live animal export to continue. Not much choice left for me. Looks like I just get my name crossed off. None are worth my vote anyway
CAT17
Hi Son I know what you mean, I just can't stand to think of how the animals would have suffered. It is truly one of the worst things that has happened to harmless animals. For some reason people from some countries don't think animals are intellegent and therefore have no rights. It is a fact that sheep (like all animals) are highly intellegent and they would have experienced terrible fear before they died (which ofcourse took time because of the way they were stabbed and even buried alive.)
When is our Fed government going to say NO MORE and STOP the live animals export once and for all. Time politicians stood up for the rights of animals and stop always justifying what the slaughters do.
The Minister for Agriculture is a weak weak man - had no guts when it came to the welfare of the cattle being inhumanely slaughtered in Indonesia and here he goes again with his wishy washy statement on TV.
We all need to join with Animals Australia and RSPCA to write to the PM, Fed Ministers, local MPs etc.
I'm for animals - they are afterall God's creatures.
Son
Hi Cat,
So have you seen or heard the latest
"Like a giant mass of wool, bloodied and filthy, they lay in trenches — slit open, stabbed or clubbed to death, while many still wriggled with some life left in them, soon to be buried alive."
— Reporter for The
International News, Pakistan
"I have watched the video and let me tell you that ever since I have seen those gruesome visuals, I haven't eaten or slept. Regardless of whether they were healthy or not, the way they were killed or buried alive is neither humane, nor Islamic."
— Managing Director of
Wellard (Australian live exporter)
So these were snippets from an email from Animals of Australia, Lyn White
Campaign Director.
These are desperate times. It is a sickening state of affairs that people can turn a blind eye to this torture of live animals.
I was a farmer of grain, dairy and cattle, 20 odd years ago, and I can tell you not all farmers are greedy and cruel, BUT SOME ARE JUST THAT and don't give an iota what happens to their animals, all they care about is the dollars they receive for them. They disgust me.
Our animals can be slaughtered here humanely and then exported to these feral peoples country, Hope they choke on it. About time the government stepped up and took control. Come on Julia Gillard, earn your keep.
DeNiro
col001The Farmers Federation represents the graziers. If Animals Australia had sent the video to every individual grazier then they would have turned to the body that is supposed to look after their interests to fix the problem as individually they can do nothing. So sending it to every individual grazier would have been a pointless - and very expensive - undertaking.
DeNiro
No co1001 - as already stated, the government, the MLA and the FF were all sent the video LONG BEFORE it was given to 4 Corners. That's the whole point. They just buried their heads in the sand and hoped the issue would go away. If any of these 3 bodies had taken effective action to stop all the unnecessary cruelty, Animals Australia would never have contacted 4 Corners or any other media outlet on this issue because it would not have been necessary.
DeNiro
Unfortunately CAT17 you also are right and I do indeed endeavour to buy only foods that do not have cruelty to animals inherent in their production. But if no voices were ever raised in protest then there would be absolutely no hope of any positive change ever. The only possible way forward is if enough members of the general public become sufficiently aware of the horrendous cruelty that is inflicted upon many thousands of exported and factory farmed animals every day to prick their conscience so that they actually modify their buying habits. And the best ways to achieve this are constant public campaigns via letters, emails and public demonstrations.
CAT17
You are right Viv but you know we could go round and around with this and it will not change the fact that the mighty dollar comes way before humane treatment of animals or any thing else for that matter.
Look what happens to pigs, sheep and chickens here in Oz. Proft at the expense of animals welfare - been like that for a long time and even though the producers know what they are doing is cruel, the practise continues.
Choose wisely when you buy food that can be your personal voice against cruelty.
col001
I accept what you say but your comment points to the government, the MLA and the FF endeavouring to cover up the situation.
The big losers here are the graziers. The above three may have egg on their face, but they can easily wipe that off.
Maybe if the animal welfare league informed the cattleman's union and the cattle breeders association things might have been different. They know their members can't afford this crap.
DeNiro
Sorry col001 - the Australian Farmers' Federation and the Meat and Livestock Association were both sent the same video and other information as the government was so they all knew just as much as the other. It was only when all 3 of these organisations did nothing to address the issue that, in desperation, Animals Australia went to the media. So they all have blood on their hands, not just the government.
col001
You are right Viv, as you said the Australian Farmers Federation, the Meat and Livestock Association and the Government knew, and in your words did nothing which spurred on "Animals Australia" to take the action they did. Also weren't these videos handed to them by 4 corners.
These peak bodies are formed to take responsibility for the trade in livestock on behalf of the graziers. That's how the system works. They are also, I believe, financially supported by government funding. Again I point out that it was the graziers who lost millions because of the aledged lack of action by the peak bodies and the undoubted embarrassment of the government and the knee jerk reaction they took. Were they aware of these videos, I would say no.
The Meat and Livestock association claim the were addressing the issue, obviously not quick enough for "Animal Rights Australia". Or was it simply points scoring and ratings as I alluded to.
CAT17
I absolutely agree people must come before animals, BUT as humans we are expected to treat animals humanely and respect them for giving their lives for us. I dont think we should forget that the farmers, well most of them, knew what was happening to their animals once they left our shores, but did nothing to stop the cruelty. I dont want people to loose their lively hood, but seriously they have to take some blame for what has happened. Now we have the Japanses resuming their whale slaughter, NOT for scientific reasons but so Green Peace will not beat them!!?? What kind of people slaughter creatures to save face? Cruelty and senseless killing of animals has to stop.
col001
Cat17 you miss the point. The cattlemen breed cattle, that's their job. The meat and livestock association administers what happens to the cattle. If the truth be known the government more than likely knew more than the farmers.
4 corners created this sensational story and we saw some people sitting in their lounge chairs with their bunny rugs making massive deals out of it.
It was a story about getting ratings, followed by a massive knee jerk reaction by the government. All over less than 5% of our live cattle trade to Indonesia being cruelly treated. It cost you and 4 corners nothing, the government and the association, maybe a little pride, but the graziers millions. Some may lose their properties which have been in the family for generations.
No one likes animal cruelty Cat17, least of all me. But then I don't like to see peoples lives destroyed by senless acts either.
19chris51
I agree that what they showed on 4 corners was inhumane, but was it a put on???????? also WHAT ABOAT THE POOR CATTLE FARMERS????????????? their lively hood is gone, for all the protests, I feel more strongly for human beings, their rights and being able to live and look after their families, no we cannot ban the trade, what we must do is try for more humane results that will pleasethe Animals Australia, and the RSPCA, but for goodness sake, people come first.
col001
It's about religion CAT17. They either import live cattle from us, or elsewhere, they don't care, as long as the animal is alive and can be slaughtered in Indonesia. New Zealand is ready to fill the void if we can't fulfill our contractual agreements..
I respect your views but both the Coalition and Labor recognise that the live animal export is a multi billion dollar industry, an industry we can't afford to lose.
The point I made was that the action of the animal welfare league, 4 corners and the knee jerk reaction from the minister, toeing the Greens line, neally lost that market for us. It would have been disastrous and I guess that's why the government quickly withdrew the ban and went to the Indonesian government cap in hand.
Cat 17, there are a lot of things happening in this country that I don't like but commonsense tells me that it has to happen to maintain the future of this country.
CAT17
I have read many reports from Animals Australia and I must say I am in agreement with them, no animals should be transported live, it is cruel and not necessary. If Indonesia want to eat our beef, buy it chilled. I am for animals and that is my stand.
col001
CAT17 You need to go and talk to these graziers. Some are now in danger of losing properties that have been in their family for generations. Expensive is paying $100 for something that's only worth $50, we are talking millions and livelihood.
The Cattleman's Association was formed as a united union to represent the graziers, not to monitor export of live cattle. That role belonged to the Meat and Livestock Association, among other NGO. So you may well be right he did collect his salary and did nothing, because he wasn't supposed to. There were other bodies formed to do that. As for animal welfare, I doubt that comment because the association would have been made up from graziers from working properties.
Cattle exported to Indonesia are required to be a certain age, or they wont be accepted. Secondly they are held in the pens and are hand fed, which is costly in itself. In the mean time stations are restocking. The problem that arise are one, because the cattle are hand fed they quickly lose condition and become unsaleable. And two, because these properties are restocking and can run only a certain number of cattle, they can't be returned.
It wasn't a protest to leave the cattle penned up , you had all these cattle and no where to send them, and or no one wanted them.
CAT17
This whole awful situation (expensive for the graziers but worse for the cattle) could have been avoided if only humanity had come before profit. 30 long years most graziers knew that the cattle were being mistreated but no one wanted to do anything about it. The boss of the Cattlemens' Association certainly did nothing just collected his salary and turned his back on the animals. Yes, 4 Corners shocked us all and now that it is out in the open it can only be for the best. They didn't need to keep the cattle penned up that was their way of protesting against the decision of the government - once again it is the animal who pays for humans greed.
col001
I believe there were only two abattoirs involved, out of many. 4 corners simply did there homework to create a sensational story to get people like you to watch it, in order to boost their ratings.
Cattle grazers lost millions as a result of this ban. The cattle were bread for this purpose and must shipped at a certain age. The fact that they were held in these holding pens meant they were no good for anyone.
DeNiro
It may be an unpalatable fact for you, but humans ARE animals! Everything on this earth can be classified as animal, vegetable or mineral. So if you're not an animal, which of the other 2 do you identify with? We have become the master species amongst animals because we have the unique combination of a relatively high IQ and hands which, possessing an opposing thumb and forefinger, are more capable of making things than those of our close genetic relatives. But we are still animals - just advanced apes.
I am not against the raising of other animals for food per se but I vehemently oppose any significant mistreatment of them at any stage during this process, especially in the moments leading to their death. That is an abuse of our superior position on the evolutionary ladder. It is for this reason that I am strongly against live animal export but I support the development of local abbatoirs to kill the creatures here humanely and export their carcasses as chilled meat. This would also provide hundreds of permanent jobs for Australians. Why would you object to this?
Because of the cruelty inherent in live animal export (many die on the journey itself due to heat stress plus fear of their alien environment at sea plus being penned up for many weeks in a stall barely big enough to lie down in) and the utterly miserable life forced onto factory farmed animals here - yes I am vegetarian and proud of it. I am in fact almost vegan, having given up eggs (because even 'free range' and 'organic' ones still involve baby male chicks being thrown live into grinders to make chicken meal) and reduced my consumption of dairy foods by about 90%.
As for making me more of a nice person, no genuinely nice individual could feel sympathy for anyone who knowingly sends animals off to such a drawn out and brutal fate, no matter how well these creatures were treated beforehand. And it is a fact that they DID know, despite all the denials. The video was sent to the Meat and Livestock Association many months before it was made public due to the MLA's inaction. To justify the farmers' actions on economic grounds is reminiscent of the arguments that were put forward when Australia gave up killing whales in the 1970's, and when Britain abolished slavery much earlier. The forecasts of economic ruin never eventuated in either case. The people involved moved on and the world became a liitle more humane overall.
19chris51
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules.
DeNiro
Get real! How could the awful images on 4 Corners possibly have been a 'put on'? Stick to the facts - not wishful thinking. Money is no justification for significant cruelty, especially when it is avoidable. If the cattle were killed here and exported as chilled beef much suffering could be avoided. Anyway, the 'poor' cattle farmers get no sympathy from me, not after it transpired that the Meat and Livestock Association had known about the abuse for some time but did nothing to stop it.