There’s just LESS THAN A WEEK TO GO until Ban Live Exports: International Awareness Day!
Will you stand up for animals on Tuesday 14th June?
This year we’re going all-out to highlight the horror of the ‘once in a lifetime’ trips that sheep, cattle, and pigs are forced to ensure during live export.
At CIWF UK, we’re all set for our ‘Hell Tours’ London Rally, which is taking place at Parliament Square, on June 14th from 12.30pm-2pm. And today we are launching a brand-new action to end the horror of live exports.
Hi all; I have now completed and sent my letter today 8/6/22 (by e mail) to my Member of Parliament (England); you can read it below.
I have also sent him several pictures of sheep in Australia which have undergone ‘mulesing’ without any form of anaesthetic.
I hope the letter explains my position of the issue of a UK – Australia FTA; and I now await response, which I will publish upon receipt.
Regards Mark
Dear Mr. Holloway Member of Parliament for Gravesham, Kent.
You and I have met in the past, and you have also had letters from me relating to an issue that is very close to me – that of stopping live animal exports / transportation. In lieu of the vote relating to Boris Johnson on 6/6/22; I now feel then need to write once again.
I have had the pleasure of knowing, working, and campaigning with Mr Philip Lymbery, Global CEO of Compassion In World Farming International, for over 30 years. I recently met up with Phil at Ramsgate, when we joined the anti live export campaigners at a public meeting opposing the trade through the harbour.
There are two issues that I wish to bring to your attention; for me, important issues that will have a major influence on how I vote in future – and they are:
Post Brexit Government promises to end live animal transport from the UK.
In June 2021, the UK government put forward legislation to ban the export of live animals for slaughter and fattening. There was a Defra consultation on the issue; for which I personally submitted responses. This consultation set the backdrop for the proposed legislation to ban animal exports.
The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill reached the House of Commons last autumn (2021), following massive public support and receiving cross party support from a number of MP’s. BUT, despite intense lobbying since, the Bill has not been seen in Parliament since last November; and consequently it ran out of time to be passed in the 2021/22 Parliamentary session.
The dithering actions of the Conservative government and possibly opposition parties, means that today, 8/6/22, it is still legally possible for the export of live farmed animals to be undertaken from anywhere in the UK. Exporter individuals such as Mr Onderwater, the Dutch exporter and haulier who has used Ramsgate so often in the past are effectively still legally able to use Kent ports for this sordid trade if they so wish.
Thus, I consider that the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill needs to be given priority in the new Parliamentary session in order that UK live animal exports can be confined to the history books which is the only place they now deserve. I call on Mr Johnson, Mr Eustace and many other MP’s to give this issue the priority it deserves and get the legislation passed. There are other issues which parliament should be acting on despite heating costs and the price of food; so please look at these other important issues and get the legislation through parliament.
Campaigners against the trade from all over the planet will be taking part and demanding their governments do not just ‘talk the talk’, but actually pass legislation to stop this abhorrent business for once and all. Recent actions on awareness days have seen NGOs and campaigners in over 40 countries – from Brazil, to Australia, to South Korea – global actions have included solidarity marches through Kathmandu, a petition launch in New Zealand and a giant projection on the white cliffs of Dover here in England.
I request the action of Mr Boris Johnson MP; Prime Minister, to live up to his promise of ‘the best is yet to come’; and to thus get the Bill relating to live animal exports passed to prevent future sufferings from here in the UK; hopefully setting a standard to which other nations will adhere.
The UK Government has now signed a trade agreement with Australia – which one can only consider as bad news for British farmers and British animals.
We all saw how Liz Truss MP thought it, the agreement, was the best thing since sliced bread.
But, in its 2019 Election Manifesto, the Conservative party asserted us voters that:
“In ALL of our trade negotiations, we will NOT compromise on OUR high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards”.
So, possibly you can write and tell me where you Conservatives subsequently went wrong; keeping in mind the following issue on the deal with Australia. Do I need to state:
Australia still allows pigs to be kept in cages during early pregnancy, whilst sow stalls have been illegal in the UK since 1999.
Confining hens in barren cages is still legal; and common in Australia, when the UK banned such systems in 2012.
The use of antibiotics on farm animals is rife in Australia. Australian farmers are known to use up to 16 times as many antibiotics on farms as we use here in the UK.
In Australia, sheep are mutilated every year through ‘mulesing’; a process undertaken on sheep stations, and without anaesthetic for the animals involved, where large chunks of its skin at their rear end, under the tail, are cut away. Please refer to attached pictures and see how abusive this is and the suffering endured by every animal involved – “we will not compromise on animal welfare standards” ! – it looks as if you have failed by not getting Australia to act on this as part of the trade negotiations just as one example.
Around 40% of Australian beef comes from cattle fattened on cruel, intensive feedlots; unlike those systems used in the UK.
Yet the new UK-Australia FTA fails to prohibit imports that don’t meet UK standards. Liz Truss can smile and consider herself good at trade deals; but when it comes to those between the UK and Australia, I personally think otherwise.
Even before tax parries are removed, Australian products like beef and lamb will have huge tariff-free quotas. The latest UN Food and Agriculture Organisation data shows UK imports of Australian beef are currently around 1,600 tonnes a year. In the first year after the FTA is implemented, the tariff free quota on beef alone will be almost 22 times higher than this.
If this deal is ratified by the UK Parliament, higher welfare farming methods used in the UK, when compared to Australia, could immediately be undermined by cheap, factory farmed imports. Remember Conservative promises – “we will not compromise on animal welfare standards”. Cheap factory farmed imports from Australia will encourage low welfare standards and practices to continue over there. These actions by Australian producers will thus put additional pressure on British producers to cut their standards as a result; which begs the question, where will the UK be in relation to very high standards that it always preaches.
The UK – Australia trade deal is a betrayal of us all; and of our high welfare British farmers who have improved standards throughout these islands. Of course, it will be the farm animals that will suffer most as a result of this Conservative policy in which we were all informed by government, “In ALL of our trade negotiations, we will NOT compromise on OUR high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards”.
As a voter and animal welfare campaigner, I feel the need to inform you that I consider you have already failed in standards with your actions for a FTA with Australia.
Spencer is doing his bit for AAU despite personal health issues; and a donation is the least that can be done is to support him and the wonderful Animal Aid Unlimited (AAU)..
Second; live animal transport is happening the world over; on the road, rail and at sea right now, today, 1/6/22. Everything needs to be done to raise as much publicity about the international live export awareness day on 14/6 as possible. It does not matter where you are in the world, or how big or little a group you represent; just get involved on your patch.
I have personally seen the suffering of this disgusting business for well over 30 years; and now it is time to confine it as a sick chapter in the book of animal history – abuses.
Please support BOTH these asks for help;
Regards Mark (WAV)
Animals Angels.
Recent Live Export IAW – London.
From ‘Compassion In World Farming’ (CIWF) – London.
There’s two weeks to go until our seventh annual Ban Live Exports: International Awareness Day!
After two years of exclusively online events due to restrictions on gatherings, we’re so excited to be back with a rally in London. Will you join us on Tuesday 14th June and show your support for a ban on the live export of animals?
Rally location confirmed
The flagship UK event for Ban Live Exports Day will be at Parliament Square in London from 12.30-2pm on Tuesday 14th June. Join campaigners from far-and-wide as we come together with MPs and special guests to help end this suffering.
How to get involved:
■ Join our London rally and help call on the UK Government to progress the Kept Animals Bill, which would ban live exports from Britain, without further delay. ■If you can’t join us in London, don’t worry. We’ll be livestreaming at the event on our Facebook page so you can watch online. ■Get your banners ready! Download one here, or make your own, to bring to the rally or post a selfie on social media on June 14th with the hashtag #BanLiveExports. ■ Keep your eyes peeled as next month we’ll be launching brand-new actions to demand the UK Government, and the EU, end this cruel trade for good.
Together we can take the next steps towards ending a cruel, outdated, and unnecessary global trade. I look forward to standing with you on June 14th.
Sarah Moyes Senior Campaigns Manager UK
PS: Don’t forget to head over to our Facebook event and let us know if you’re able to join us for this day of action.
Regards Mark
On tour in the Netherlands againstall factory farming.
The UK government has recently (since Brexit and leaving the EU) undertaken a consultation on live animal transport which has been open to the British public and any for / against (live export) organisations wishing to submit comments on the subject of all categories associated with live animal transport (exports). We at WAV took a lot of time (several weeks) with precise submissions and evidence to argue our case on why we considered that long distance live animal transport is unnecessary and should be banned – or at the very most be a one off transport time of 8 hours maximum; which would basically stop all exports from the UK to mainland Europe.
Here is just one short clip of the response start:
Q1: Do you agree that livestock and horse export journeys for slaughter and fattening are unnecessary?
87% of respondents agreed that livestock and horse export journeys for slaughter and fattening are unnecessary. 11%4 disagreed and 2% did not express a definitive opinion. The majority of respondents who agreed that such journeys are unnecessary were members of the general public and animal welfare groups. The main reason respondents gave for agreeing was that they were concerned about welfare standards during the transportation of live animals. Many individual respondents and animal welfare organisations stated that live exports were cruel and degrading to the animals involved.
Great to see such a high figure of 87% of the British people and organisations basically agreed that live animal exports were unnecessary.
The full document which details the summary of responses to every section of the consultation:
Document title – UK Government: Improvements to animal welfare in transport Summary of responses and government response Date: August 2021
In this document – an Introduction by the UK government:
The welfare of all animals, including in transport, is a real priority for both the UK Government and the Welsh Government. The UK Government has a manifesto commitment to end excessively long journeys for slaughter and fattening, which we are taking forward through our Kept Animals Bill.
Now we have left the EU, we have the opportunity to look at alternative methods to better protect animal welfare during transport. The Farm Animal Welfare Committee (FAWC, now known as the Animal Welfare Committee) report in 2019 identified several aspects of transport that have a detrimental effect on animal welfare. They made a series of recommendations to the current regulations on animal welfare during transport. A Welsh Government response to this paper was published in 2020.
Following the findings in this report, we have looked at improvements to animal welfare in transport, including maximum journey times, thermal conditions and ventilation, space and headroom allowances and sea transport.
We have received a wide range of views to our consultation. We have listened to those views, and will continue to work with industry, NGOs and others to identify priorities where the evidence is clear and in other cases to explore some of the issues and evidence together in more detail. I want us to work together to develop practical solutions that generate the good welfare outcomes we all want to see.
This is a big step, but where the evidence is clear we must act. We want to work with industry to co-design solutions to achieve high welfare outcomes and help them make this transition.
The Rt Hon George Eustice MP Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Lesley Griffiths MS Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
As a result of the consultation, the following statement was issued by the UK government:
Live animal exports
Having considered the evidence available, including responses to this consultation, the government confirms it will proceed with a ban on the export of livestock (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs) and horses from England, Wales and Scotland for slaughter and fattening. Exports for slaughter and fattening from England, Wales and Scotland will be prohibited whether the animals originate from or are travelling through England, Wales and Scotland.
For the purposes of this consultation, exports for fattening were defined as exports where the animal is to be slaughtered within 6 months of arrival. A large proportion of respondents were critical of the proposed definition and considered a time limit to be unenforceable. Having taken account of this feedback, we propose to remove the reference to a 6-month time limit so that the prohibition will apply to all exports of livestock and horses where an animal is exported to the place of destination in order to be fattened for subsequent slaughter.
To further support our (WAV) welfare organisations call for a complete ban on live animal exports; I have decided to include here for you a series of undercover videos which were undertaken in years prior to the consultation relating to live export issues around Europe. I have included journey routes, times and animal species. So here we go:
CIWF live export investigations.
Below are undercover investigations undertaken by CIWF (London).
Video links for each are given; but if you wish to read additional information about the investigations, then head to:
We share many things, but especially that of promoting veganism and also of stopping the transport of live animals all around the world – live exports.
I have been personally involved with anti live animal exports for the last 30+ years, probably more like 35+ when I think about it. It was during the anti export campaigns from English South coast ports that Phil and I became friends all those years ago. He is now the CEO of Compassion In World Farming (CIWF) – Compassion in World Farming | Compassion in World Farming (ciwf.org.uk)
The live animal export trade has always been top of my real hate listings; and regardless of where it happens; I will try to give additional support to locals who are attempting to make a difference and get the trade stopped.
So, personally the very recent news in from Australia can only be positive for animals as far a I am concerned. I am English, not Australian, but follow the happenings in the Aus export trade very closely through the work of Animals Australia and others. The election results for Australia have only just started to arrive in the last day or so; but with a change in government now, it would appear that the (fed up) people are having their say about issues such as climate change, by putting ticks in boxes to attempt change. The feelings of most Australians about live animals exports was obviously another issue which influenced how some people voted.
Mr Philip Wollen is our WAV Patron; and he is an avid vegan and anti export campaigner; you can see him speak about the trade here:
Lets kick off with a video from our friends and fellow (anti live export) campaigners at Animals Australia to show you a little about the Australian live export business;
Here below I am supplying you with some links relating to the trade and the recent election in Australia. Some are pre election articles, but they are all associated with the trade in some way. I quoted our good friends at Animals Australia earlier, and by being involved like them as an activist against the suffering, cruelty and abuses, I know they have the tenacity and never give up approach to getting a positive result for Australian animals. I wish them more than the very best; their work is tireless. Good victories never arrive overnight, and the live export trade is one of those massively long and drawn out battlefields. I am confident that in this year the UK will pass legislation that will completely stop the trade overseas in live animals. I know that the same will happen in Australia very soon due toy the endless endurance and work of good Australian citizens, some politicians and the masses of ‘normal’ citizens who have the balls to get up and speak out against the trade. People vote, and they have in the last few days made their feelings clear about animal exports and the very important issue of climate change.
The battle in Australian exports is nearly over; it is now simply a matter of time to submit this abysmal record of suffering and abuse into the history books where it should have been placed many years ago.
Be yourself, no matter what they say !
We have presented the undercover footage; we have taken to the streets and we have put our tick in the voting box. Governments either act and change things, or like the coal digger, you get removed by the electorate. They have a choice, listen and act on it, or maintain the status quo and face the consequences. Anyone with anything between their ears will listen to the people and act.
ANIMAL right activists are protesting in Southampton city centre today.
Activists from pressure group Animal Justice Project are taking a stand against the dairy industry to mark National Day of Action.
They have set up stands in Above Bar Street to show a 2020 undercover video titled ‘Dairy Still Kills’ to expose the mistreatment of livestock.
The video showing the slaughter of calves is being shown in 20 cities across the UK.
Hope Weatherell, a volunteer campaigner and a vegan for nearly seven years, said that Southampton was chosen as a location for the campaign due to it being a central hub and having “lots of open minded people and young people”.
The activist group says that action was being taken in order to “educate” the public about thinking ethically and giving out free samples of dairy free options.
Get your banners at the ready! Join us for Ban Live Exports: International Awareness Day on 14th June 2022. The UK Government has promised to ban live exports from Britain for slaughter or fattening. But the Bill that would end this trade has stalled in Parliament. What are they waiting for?
So, on the seventh annual Ban Live Exports: International Awareness Day, we’ll be demanding the Government keeps its promise and ends this cruel trade. Add Ban Live Exports: International Awareness Day on June 14th to your diary now.
Over the last two years we’ve been unable to meet in person due to restrictions on gatherings, so we’re excited to tell you we’re going to be organising a rally in Central London.
But don’t worry if you’re not able to get to London. We plan to live stream at the event as well as having other activities you can take part in online.
We hope you’ll be able to get involved in any way you can in June. I’ll be back in touch soon with more news on our Ban Live Exports: International Awareness Day.
I look forward to marking this important date with you this year. Best wishes,
Sarah Moyes Senior Campaign Manager
PS: Don’t forget to head over to our Facebook event and let us know if you’re able to join us for this day of action.
World Animals Voice 