Campaigners call for sheep saved from capsized ship to be put out to pasture

‘They survived all this, they deserve a nice old age,’ says head of rescue team

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/28/campaigners-call-for-sheep-saved-from-capsized-ship-to-be-put-out-to-pasture

A comfortable retirement to an all-you-can-eat grassy field seems the least that the 250 surviving sheep from the Queen Hind disaster in the Black Sea deserve. But there is still some debate over their fate, according to animal campaign groups working in Romania.

More than 14,600 sheep were on the ship, heading to Saudi Arabia on a busy animal export route, when it overturned coming out of the harbour on Sunday afternoon. All of the crew got away safely, but most of the animals are now believed to be dead.

Rescue teams, made up of animal groups and Romanian vets and police, are still working in the ship, cutting holes through the walls to reach inaccessible sections. But conditions are getting worse and the chances of finding any surviving animals are diminishing.

“You have to climb along the dark corridors, wade through the water and clamber over the sheep bodies while you search,” says Kuki Bărbuceanu of the Animal Rescue and Care charity and the Four Paws animal welfare organisation. Bărbuceanu is a veteran disaster relief operator who specialises in animal rescue.

“And then you have to get back out, but this time you are carrying a 50–60kg sheep. It is pretty exhausting work.” The smell is getting worse, and although some crew are wearing gas masks, Bărbuceanu says that interferes with the hard physical labour of carrying out sheep.

He has been working on the ship since Tuesday, when he and his crew reached the harbour. Alongside them have been vets from the veterinarian authority ANSVSA, and Romanian emergency workers. As of Thursday afternoon, 250 sheep had been rescued from the ship.

However, the ultimate fate of the surviving sheep is still in question. They are currently in quarantine and being looked after by the export company, Maria Trading. There have been some anxieties expressed by activists that the Saudi import company that bought them will reclaim them, and that they will be put on the next export ship.

Campaign groups are seeking to take the animals and find them sanctuaries where they can munch away to a peaceful old age. A statement from Maria Trading to the Guardian confirmed that they are giving food and shelter to the rescued animals and added: “The Romanian veterinary health authority is the only concerned party which will decide when and where the rescued animals will be transferred.”

Requests for comment to the veterinary authorities have not yet been returned.

“It’s what they deserve,” says Bărbuceanu. “They survived all this, they deserve a nice old age.”

Legislation currently going through the Romanian parliament would tighten regulations around the country’s live export trade, which has grown fivefold since 2000. Romania is one of the main routes out of Europe into the Middle East.

The live export trade continues to grow both inside and out of Europe, despite continued public opposition. European live animal exports rose from a value of $1bn (£800m) in 2000 to $3.3bn in 2018.

Meanwhile, MEPs in the European parliament have agreed to debate the live export trade in December, Dutch MEP Anja Hazecamp (pictured below) told the Guardian.

“There has been a lot of talk so far, but not enough action,” said Gabriel Paun of Animals International.

 

WAV Comment: The AR movement has been calling for a ban on live transport to be replaced by a carcase trade for the last 25 years or more – we had a saying even back then – ‘On the hook, not the hoof’. So we are really pleased to see that finally after 25 years or more of AR campaigning, people like Reineke Hameleers, Director at Eurogroup for Animals has finally decided that transporting meat and carcasses is possible –

Yes, the need for more local slaughterhouses is very much needed as part of the scheme; as much as we detest the places; more local facilities will stop the long distance transport of live animals. There is only one group to blame for the closure of many local and regional slaughterhouses; and that is the EU. Local facilities as we (in the movement) have been saying for years, greatly reduces transport distance times and is much better for animals; as they do not suffer anywhere near as much as they do going between other member states.

We have been saying this for years and years; so why now do we hear this from Eurogroup as if the penny has just dropped (as we say in the UK) – or to put it another way; ;the bleeding obvious’ !!

I guess that organisations such as this have to justify their existence; staff and salaries. Real animal people do it for free !

“It was also mentioned that this should be substantiated by a solid regulatory framework setting a maximum journey time of eight hours for animals transported for slaughter, with a derogation for shorter journey time for animals at the end of their lives. All of this should be part of a comprehensive EU strategy produced by the Commission”

– maybe somebody can correct me but did EU citizens in their droves not sign for a maximum of 8 hors a few years back ? – oh yes, the EU Commission decided otherwise to ignore the people and get into bed with the meat mafia to allow the Status Quo – no change. Sorry but ‘EU Strategy’ means that people who can decide nothing, decide that nothing can be done – and so on we go with no changes and continual calls from decent people for change. The EU Commission is utter junk; full of self important’s who think they are above the normal man; and they have some kind of right to ignore his wishes; regardless of them being paid by the people as servants of the people !

“With the passing of time, more reasons to justify a shift from transporting animals alive to a trade in carcasses and meat have emerged”.

What complete and utter rubbish; as if the past few years have suddenly been different. The movement has been giving evidence of the cruelty and abuse of the live trade for at least 25 years; we are specialists at it; it is not something new, so don’t pretend that this is a new happening, please.

“Citizens have also shown their strong disapproval of live animal transport: in 2016-2017, Eurogroup for Animals’ #StopTheTrucks campaign, which called on EU decision makers to reduce and ultimately end long distance live animal transportation, exceeded its target of 1 million signatures and reflected the findings of a Eurobarometer survey showing that a staggering 94 percent of European citizens believe that protecting the welfare of farm animals is important”. And you know what; all the way citizens have been ignored by the EU; and they also have been calling on EU decision makers to wake up; get off their butts and make changes. When I was campaigning against the trade back in 1980; we were asking for change then; so why only now in 2020 may we start to see something happen ? – a bit late of EU, you could say !

Having personally investigated the trade and campaigned for change for what, 27, 28, 30 years; – see a bit more at https://serbiananimalsvoice.com/about-us/ – I am bewildered to see that only now a strategy for change from live to carcase in the EU is looking like a possibility – not it WILL happen; just a possibility. It is all down to those masters of ignorance, the EU Commissioners, to see what they come up with as a result of this ‘new’ report of the obvious.

For me, I am quite happy to take this campaign to my grave if need be – and you know what; if they drag their heels as much as they have done for the past 30 years; then I probably will.

 

For me, it is:

 

Regards Mark – continue to fight the fight.

 

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A shift to meat and carcasses is not only long-awaited, it is totally justified

 

 

>>DOWNLOAD THE REPORT<<

https://www.eurogroupforanimals.org/a-shift-to-meat-and-carcasses-is-not-only-long-awaited-it-is-totally-justified

Transported alive for up to several days or even weeks, despite legislation and 21st century values – this is still happening to animals in their millions every year, both within and outside Europe. But there’s no need. New evidence shows that a shift to a meat and carcasses only trade instead of transporting animals alive would be justified not only by animal health and welfare reasons, but also by environmental indicators, economic considerations and existing practices.

On 18th November stakeholders gathered together with EU and National representatives for the launch of a new report by Eurogroup for Animals, ‘A strategy to reduce and replace live animal transport: Towards a meat and carcasses only trade’, and to discuss how to make such a shift happen.

The workshop, ‘Moving Matters: From Hoof to Hook’, was co-organised by the Permanent Representation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the European Union and Eurogroup for Animals, and opened by Carola Schouten, Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. During the event participants discussed how to practically achieve a shift to transporting meat and carcasses. Logistic solutions need to be supported by incentives, like product labelling for better marketability, financial support – for example, under the new CAP – or taxing products with a poor environmental footprint. In order to effectively mitigate the drivers of long distance live animals transport, the main transport routes should be assessed, and the need for more regional slaughter facilities should be mapped out.

 

It was also mentioned that this should be substantiated by a solid regulatory framework setting a maximum journey time of eight hours for animals transported for slaughter, with a derogation for shorter journey time for animals at the end of their lives. All of this should be part of a comprehensive EU strategy produced by the Commission, in line with its response to the Parliamentary implementation report on live transport.

The accompanying report provides an overview of trade flows and analyses the driving forces behind the transport of animals, putting forward proposals on how to mitigate those drivers to ease the transition to a meat and carcasses only trade, including case studies of where alternatives have successfully been tested or established.

 

Leading bodies such as the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) – as well as the animal welfare movement – have long been calling for a shift towards a meat and carcasses trade. Citizens have also shown their strong disapproval of live animal transport: in 2016-2017, Eurogroup for Animals’ #StopTheTrucks campaign, which called on EU decision makers to reduce and ultimately end long distance live animal transportation, exceeded its target of 1 million signatures and reflected the findings of a Eurobarometer survey showing that a staggering 94 percent of European citizens believe that protecting the welfare of farm animals is important.

With the passing of time, more reasons to justify a shift from transporting animals alive to a trade in carcasses and meat have emerged. In the last few years, increasingly prolonged periods of high temperatures over the summer months have led some Member States to suspend live trade. As climate change increases the chance of these periods occurring, it will become increasingly important for meat supply chains that currently rely on live transport to develop and implement alternative strategies to ensure that supplies are not interrupted.  A debate on live animal transport in July had the majority supporting Commissioner Andriukaitis’ call for the suspension of journeys during summer.

“Transporting meat and carcasses is possible, and it is already happening across the EU and beyond,” said Reineke Hameleers, Director at Eurogroup for Animals. “We need the full involvement of farmers, EU Institutions, national Governments and all the actors in the supply chains, both in the EU and in third countries, to make sure it is effectively developed and implemented. We trust the EC will bring forward its promise to work on such a strategy.”

 

 

The UK has a General Election on 12/12/19. Some political parties are moving in the direction of bettering animal welfare policies; others ‘talk the talk’ about the issue, but in fact are just making it something for the Manifesto in an attempt to lure additional votes.

The ‘Liberal Democrat’ Party Manifesto; which outlines their policies if elected to government; mentions nothing about banning the live transport of animals; in fact, as they are pro remain for the EU, they are basically doing what the EU wishes; which is for them to keep quiet on the issue, and allow the abusive trade to continue.

So, especially regarding the incident in Romania last weekend; it was time for us to let the Liberal Democrats know what we felt about their attitude to animal welfare. Mark penned the following to them, in advance of the election on 12^th December.

No party has all the perfect policies for improving animal welfare, and some promise just about everything with the knowledge that they will never be elected into government anyway – so with that in mind we guess they can promise that everything changes !

UK voters will naturally vote with their own feelings and intentions about what can be dome.

Here is a copy of Mark’s letter to the Liberal Democrats, giving them our opinion of their approach to animal welfare:

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Dear all;

            Maybe it is best to start with a video (second link below) which you can see from the website run by Venus and myself: it reflects actual footage of the 14,600 EU sheep which drowned ibn Romania last weekend thanks to EU policies of lack of controls.

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/11/25/mass-grave-in-the-black-sea/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/11/26/breaking-romanian-government-calls-off-rescue-efforts-to-save-sheep-still-alive-inside-export-ship-despite-claims-that-sounds-can-still-be-heard/

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/11/26/romania-more-footage/

 

We have a General Election in the UK in just a few weeks. With regard Europe; your very favourite subject, which Jo Swinson continually bleats on about all the time, I note in your Election Manifesto that there is nothing at all about your party calling for an end to live animal transport within the UK, or even Europe.

Strange, coming from a political party which claims to be pro animal welfare and so pro EU. EU citizens have made it more than clear that they want a ban on live animal transport; and recently they signed a petition which gained well over 1 Million signatures calling for an 8 hour maximum journey time. The Conservatives listened to what people asked, EU Parliament representatives in Brussels supported this to a degree, but the all mighty, non elected Commissioners said ‘No’, and so ‘no’ it remained. So one has to ask; what is the point of MEP’s when they do not get laws enforced in Europe or hold the EU Commissions to do what the people ask ?; instead we witness an EU which is solely run by huge lobbyists in the meat mafia industry, and others such as Bayer / Monsanto. Unfortunately, the words ‘animal welfare’ are just weasel words put out to pretend that the caring Europe is doing things – when in reality, it does virtually nothing.

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/11/25/syrian-crew-registered-in-the-pacific-a-rust-bucket-vessel-40-years-old-ignorant-romania-useless-eu-it-all-adds-up-to-a-cheap-and-nasty-live-export-business-as-we-have-said-for-decades/

Despite all the terrible practices given in the above link, thanks to the EU, we continue to see rust bucket vessels, crewed only by the cheapest labour the exporters can get, crewing vessels registered in the far outposts of the planet, allegedly complying with standards defined in EU Regulation 1/2005 which allegedly gives ‘protection’ to animals being transported within Europe. Nobody is asking why ships are crewed by Syrians (not really known for their welfare concerns), why they are registered in islands dotted in the Pacific, or why they continue to operate after 40 years, when they should have been sent to the scrapyard years ago !

Ask the 14,600 sheep (yes, Fourteen thousand six hundred) animals which drowned last weekend off Midia port, Romania (yes, an EU member state of yours Ms Swinson) if the EU gave a toss about their ‘welfare’ ? – if they could speak before their deaths, I think the response would be a resounding ‘NO’. The vessel was overloaded, and nobody in authority gave a shit.

The EU (as a hole) is an almighty joke, the MEP’s who allegedly ‘represent’ us have about as much effect with the Commissions as a chocolate fireman; the result is, nothing ever changes. We go on and on; with highly paid EU legislators trying to invent words and PR’s which make it seem as if progress is being made. Take it from us, there is no progress at the EU when it comes to animal welfare; animals are still crammed into intensive cage systems, migratory birds are still blown out of the sky in Malta and Cyprus as they make their wonderful natural air voyages to places of sanctuary such as here in the UK, and stray dogs and cats continue to reproduce, and be killed by authorities who regard them as pests, because the EU comes up with no legislation to force member states to sterilise rather than kill. Instead we witness highly paid MEP’s sit at their regular coffee mornings, sometimes turn up at the Parliament to vote for legislation which is never implemented, such as I say above, with the maximum 8 hour journey limit being prime example.

And we are supposed to put our trust in you ? – So, now, General Election time in the UK. Given the utter rubbish which is the EU and the people who are voted in by the national electorates to hopefully get changes done, we, in our organisation have no choice but to inform people NOT to support the Liberal Democrats. Your manifesto pledges for animal welfare are a joke, (you say nothing about live animal transport) and if your UK pledges are anything like the ‘progress’ made for animal welfare within the EU, the EU which you continually praise and go on about, then we can all sleep safe knowing that the Liberal Democrats will in reality ‘do nothing’, not giving a toss about the welfare of animals either in the UK or in the EU. This ‘no progress’ policy is reflected in the productive strides made for better animal transport within the EU, which amounts to nothing ! – if pigs could fly !

This letter will be reproduced on our site, giving worldwide (and UK) visitors and voters our views on what the Liberal Democrats intend do for ‘animal welfare’. People can read our views and then as always in elections, make their choices. I think we can safely say that animal welfare is not on your list of priorities; where as revoking Article 50 to stay in the useless club is.

Ms Swinson wants to remain in the EU, but at least the Conservatives will set a precedent within Europe and ban live animal transport from the UK. They have spoken about it and animal welfare in general; even outside No 10 when Boris was elected and doing his speech. What do we ever hear from Lib Dems ? – EU, EU and more EU.

For us at WAV, that is 14,600 (now drowned) reasons to support another political party rather than the Liberal Democrats. We want action and we want it now; not just weasel words from politicians that may as well go directly into the rubbish bin.

 

Dutch MEP Anja Hazenkamp appears to be the only MEP who really has the guts to get up and get away from Brussels and actually visit the places (such as Midia, Romania) to support animal transport issues. Ports such as Midia where live animals are exported from simply as by product financial gifts for exporters which the EU does nothing about regarding monitoring what goes on; for this she (Anja) earns our utmost respect, unlike all the others from Brussels who only ‘talk the talk’ but do little in reality. https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/08/04/thanks-to-anja-hazenkamp/

 

Yours

Mark Johnson

Co Founder – ‘World Animals Voice’ – https://worldanimalsvoice.com/

Kent, England.

 

 

 

 

Mr Could Not Give a Toss – The ‘animal welfare’ ignorant Romania Minister Petre Deae

 

Any normal decent government would immediately sack useless crap like him – but Romania ?  – we doubt.

Way beyond angry – and we are limiting what we want to say in reality a great deal.

 

In remembrance of the innocent who suffer under the greed of humankind.

 

 

BREAKING: The Romanian government has called off the rescue efforts to save over 14,600 sheep trapped inside a capsized live export ship — despite claims that sounds can be heard indicating that animals are still alive.

 

The EU today – Shit Member States – Romania !!

 

Mr Could Not Give a Toss – The ‘animal welfare’ ignorant Romania Minister Petre Deae

 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1199133334850269184

 

In remembrance of the innocent who suffer under the greed of humankind.

 

]https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/11/25/syrian-crew-registered-in-the-pacific-a-rust-bucket-vessel-40-years-old-ignorant-romania-useless-eu-it-all-adds-up-to-a-cheap-and-nasty-live-export-business-as-we-have-said-for-decades/ 

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/11/25/mass-grave-in-the-black-sea/ 

 

Dear Mark,

You may have already heard the tragic news of a live export ship capsizing off the coast of Romania, with over 14,000 sheep on board.

I wanted to get in touch to let you know that our international team are currently on the ground coordinating the media coverage that is forcing the government to ‘pull out all stops’ to rescue any surviving sheep that remain trapped in the hull.

We will do all that we can to help those who have survived over the coming days and ensure that this tragic incident fuels our efforts in Romania to bring their live trade to an end. As the biggest exporter of sheep out of the European Union, we have been working on the ground to end their trade for the last 3 years, and have achieved a number of major media exposés to date. This latest tragedy will highlight yet again, why the trade must not continue.

 

The ‘animal welfare’ ignorant Romania Minister Petre Deae

The risks and suffering that animals face when they’re seen as merely ‘cargo’, rather than the living, breathing individuals they are, has never been more evident than it is now. For an industry who see these animals as nothing more than ‘profit’, tragedies like this are merely business losses.

But to you and I, they are the reason that we must continue to work to end the trade globally. Because we know that no matter where animals come from, all share the same capacity to suffer — and deserve the same compassion. Whether they come from Australia, Romania, South Africa, or anywhere in-between, we will continue our work to shield all animals from live export cruelty — until the day that live export ends.

I know that your compassion for these animals makes seeing them suffer painful beyond words. But please know, when you see these tragic events unfold, that you are the reason they will become a thing of the past. It’s only because of your support that this industry will continue to be challenged and decision makers compelled to end it, for good.

Our work to protect all animal victims of the international live export trade will continue in Romania and beyond, and the day when animals are no longer subjected to the horrors of live export, will inevitably come — because of you.

Thank you as always, for helping us get there sooner.

Lyn

P.S. This urgent situation is unfolding as we speak — we’ll keep you updated.

Lyn White AM
Animals Australia

 

The ‘do nothing no prosecutions’ EU Commissioner Andriukaitis

 

In remembrance of the innocent who suffer under the greed of humankind.

 

The terrible, tragic situation that has happened within the last few days regarding the ‘Queen Hind’ and thousands (14,600 as far as we know) of sheep which were being exported live from Romania to the Middle East simply highlights once again the disregard that the human race has for the animal species.

 

Lets look at this a little more:

 

Out of over 14,600 animals being carried; we currently understand that only 33 animals have been rescued. The rest are feared drowned. We understand that the ship was leaving Midia port in Romania bound firstly for Libya.

The main reason for the trouble at present is that we are being told that the vessel was overloaded; which makes sense as to why it was not stable when it overturned just hundreds of meters after leaving the port.

It has also been stated that low quality crew action or inactions also contributed to the disaster. There was a crew made up entirely of 22 SYRIAN nationals; and the vessel; it was registered in Palau, a remote set of islands in the Western Pacific – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palau and it was constructed way back in 1980 – making it approx. 40 years old.

 

Vessel Details:

Vessel Name	QUEEN HIND
Ship type	Livestock Carrier
Flag	Palau
Homeport
Gross Tonnage	3785
Summer Deadweight (t)	2154
Length Overall (m)	85
Beam (m)	14
Draught (m)
Year of Built	1980

 

When the Romanians undertook the export of 70,000 live sheep recently from the very same port to the Middle East; a consignment which we tracked and reported on each day, the EU in the form of EU Commissioner (Andriukaitis) – sent a letter allegedly to the Romanian Agriculture Minister (and Minster of Rural Development of Romania) Mr Petre Daea on 10/7/19 asking him (at the time) not to allow the shipment of 70,000 live sheep to the Middle East due to the extreme temperatures – https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/08/02/2-8-19-copy-of-the-letter-from-the-eu-do-nothing-commissioner-to-the-animal-welfare-ignorant-romanian-minister/

Above – The ‘do nothing Commissioner    Andriukaitis

Below – the ‘animal welfare’ ignorant Romania Minister Petre Deae

 

Basically, Romania, an EU member state; gave the EU Commission the 2 fingers and continued with the export consignment regardless of the fact that the animals were going to suffer in extreme heat and conditions way outside the limits set in Reg 1/2005; or the standard which nations of the EU are supposed to adhere to when transporting live animals !

Romania at the time ignored all the rules and regulations of the EU when it came to transporting live animals; and yet we (as EU citizens) are supposed to vote for MEP’s and expect that the EU Parliament actually carries some ‘clout’ in Brussels with the Commissions. Maybe we should take the EU for what it really is – CRAP.

The EU bleats on about ‘investigating’ things and looking at the situation, but even by October this year the EU had still not taken out any infringement proceedings against Romania for the shipment of the 70,000 animals – https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/10/28/eu-remember-the-romanian-sheep-to-the-middle-east-in-extreme-temperatures-the-latest-from-the-eu-but-still-no-infringement/

So what now ? – as all livestock carriers are, antiquated rust buckets converted into carriers when they have passed their ‘best by’ dates; we wait with real interest to see what the EU hierarchy will now do 1) against Romania, and 2) against the entire evil trade of live animals which goes under the banner of ‘live exports’.

This whole incident stinks of cheap and shoddy operation – from a rust bucket carrier vessel, to a cheapo and obviously inexperienced crew from Syria; to the registration of the vessel to some unknown outpost in the middle of the Pacific; to the cheapness of Romania – everything is and has been done on the cheap; and the deaths today of some 14,600 animals by drowning just goes to highlight even more the bent corruptness of this entire trade in live animals around the world.

No doubt we shall read a PR from the EU ‘Eurogroup for Animals’ promising yet more investigations and actions of an EU member state. We say, don’t hold your breath; we have been there so many times before and we all know the weasel words in reality amount to sweet FA. What happened with the ‘Queen Hind’ is an insult to intelligent, decent people; but then we are talking about the EU and the cheap, shoddy export trade which it buries its sick head into.

Shame on them all – a ‘they were going for slaughter anyway’ mentality which we experience from the industry all of the time. A gutless EU and a house full of do nothing MEP’s who ‘represent us’ but don’t have any chance of even holding the EU Commission to account. In a summary word – ‘USELESS’.

 

Regards Mark

 

 

In remembrance of the innocent who suffer under the greed of humankind.

 

 

 

Friends and fellow campaigners;

 

As many of you know, we have had a lot in common with the recent movements of the ‘Al Shuwaikh’ for some months now – from the days earlier in the year when thousands (70,000 to be precise) of live sheep were exported in this rust heap out to the Middle East for ritual slaughter:

 

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/08/10/romania-exporting-over-100000-sheep-to-iran-per-month-after-al-shuwaikh-we-are-interested-in-the-current-situation/

 

We tracked it each day by satellite and gave regular updates of its position(s).

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/2019/08/03/al-shuwaikh-sheep-transporter-vessel-expected-in-qatar-today-3-8-19/

 

You can find a lot more on our work with this and a lot more of other live transport work by visiting:

https://worldanimalsvoice.com/category/live-transport/ 

 

Now it has mover to South Africa to try and get involved in live sheep exports from there.

But as with Australia, the EU, and now SA; the rust heap is getting trouble and actions against it wherever it attempts to take its disgusting trade.

Here is the latest from the Exec Director at the National Council of SPCAs who have now taken up the fight that this hip belongs in one place only – the scrapyard and history books !

Best regards – Mark.

 

 

Dear Animal Warrior,

Thank you for signing our petition – for taking action to stop the torture that is live export.

 

Following the harrowing days spent at the East London harbour by our Inspectors at the NSPCA when some 60 000 sheep were loaded for shipment to the Middle East, we are finally in a position to confirm that criminal charges in terms of the Animals Protection Act No 71 of 1962 have been laid.

The charges were laid against the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) as well as Eastern Cape Rural Development and Agrarian Reform, Al Mawashi – the owners of the Al Shuwaikh vessel, who have a company in South Africa, the captain of the Al Shuwaikh, the Page Farming Trust, and individuals from the Page Farming Trust.

 

Conditions on board the Al Shuwaikh included dangerously high ammonia levels on some of the enclosed decks, dirty conditions including faeces in the food and water troughs, together with other serious welfare concerns. On the dock and feedlot animals were treated in an inhumane manner, and attempts were made to load sick, injured and lame animals onto the vessel. These sentient beings meant nothing to the officials and exporters. Our pleas to treat the animals humanely fell on deaf ears. Seeing the suffering of these sheep even before their departure, and watching the Al-Shuwaikh depart was heartbreaking, but it has also affirmed our determination to advocate for justice on their behalf.

We have received criticism that it has taken too long to lay the charges for animal cruelty.  Preparing separate dockets for the feedlot, the harbour and the vessel carrying the sheep has involved the collation of valuable evidence from 15 staff members.  Carefully completed dockets with the relevant evidence have been handed over to the South African Police Services who will now only be required to obtain statements from the accused.

 

We also met with our legal counsel who have confirmed that we have a case for the High Court. The intention is not only to ensure that the Al-Shuwaikh does not return to our shores, but also to challenge the issue of exporting live animals by sea. 

We believe that live export by sea is completely unacceptable and unnecessary.

 

We would like to sincerely thank you for your support in our campaign to stop this heinous trade and know that you will continue to stand with us as we face this giant. We may have lost this battle – but we have not lost the war, and we will continue to do what it takes to make sure that this never happens again in South Africa.

 

Kind regards

 

Marcelle Meredith 

National Council of SPCAs

Executive Director

 

P.S. The costs incurred thus far have been exorbitant and we have a long road ahead. With donations from caring South Africans and international supporters, we are hopeful that we will be in a financial position to proceed with this landmark case.  We stand together against this animal cruelty. With donations from caring South Africans and international supporters, we are hopeful that we will be in a financial position to proceed with this landmark case.  We stand together against this animal cruelty.

Visit the site at https://nspca.co.za/

 

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