Following the suprise announcement on 19/1/23,
We wish New Zealand Premier Jacinda Ardern the very best for the future; and say ‘Thank you’ to her and her government for being the first nation which introduces official legislation to stop the export of live animals. Thank you Jacinda.
The Animal Welfare Amendment Bill to ban live export has passed its third and final reading in Parliament in Aotearoa (New Zealand)!
The live export of cattle, deer, goats and sheep from New Zealand by sea will stop on 30 April 2023.
Now all eyes are on Australia to follow suit.
News reports suggest the New Zealand government delivered a letter to the Chinese Embassy on 31 March signalling the end of the trade.
New Zealand announced a ban on live exports, which will see the trade being phased out over a two-year period, stopping 30/4/23.
SAFE, an animal rights organisation in New Zealand that has long campaigned for a ban on live exports, praised the Government’s decision to ban all live exports by sea for cattle, sheep, deer and goats for slaughter, fattening and breeding.
This decision followed a government consultation to which we submitted a briefing, highlighting the suffering inherent in the practice and explaining viable alternatives, including reducing journey times and exporting semen instead of live animals.
New Zealand’s announcement drives home the point that the welfare of farmed animals can and should be a top priority. Now it time for the UK to follow suit and implement a ban on this awful practice. Whilst making its way through Parliament at the moment, the British people are hearing endless government excuses as to why things are taking time; not enough time for further debate etc, etc. Great to see that New Zealand stepped up to the plate and passed all the legislation without all the excuses and delays as seen in UK government.
Hopefully this year, 2023; we will see all legislation passed in the UK which will also ban the export of live animals. This will then put huge pressure on the EU and also Australia to stop the sordid trade involving mass suffering to millions of sentient live farm animals.
Regards Mark
Further reading:
NZ bans cattle exports by sea, with two-year phase out – Beef Central
World Animals Voice 