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| Animal-rights activists protest from a freeway bridge in Woodstock against livestock exports. Image: File |
In a significant move advocating for improved animal welfare standards, leading animal protection organisations from Australia and New Zealand have joined forces to urge the South African government to ban live animal exports by sea. This call comes in the wake of South Africa’s draft Regulations for the Exportation of Live Animals by Sea, which are currently open for public comment.
The push for reform follows Australia’s historic initiative to phase out live sheep exports by sea by May 1, 2028. An Independent Panel presented a comprehensive report in October 2023 after conducting an extensive six-month inquiry, which drew over 4,100 public submissions. Meanwhile, New Zealand has led the way by implementing a total ban on live exports by sea since May 2023.
Ending live animal exports has been shown to be a pressing issue, as these voyages subject animals to extreme and unavoidable suffering. The evidence underscores that the physical and psychological toll inflicted on these animals during long-haul sea journeys cannot be mitigated through any regulatory measures or improvements in standards.
Despite Australia’s attempts to regulate the industry with the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) and Australian Standards for the Export of Livestock (ASEL), reports continually emerge detailing the distress and suffering experienced by animals on these journeys.
The consequences of live exports are alarming, with animals subjected to transport stress, heat stress, overcrowding, hunger, and a heightened risk of disease and injury. Shockingly, data from 2018 to 2023 shows that over 60% of Independent Observer reports for live sheep export voyages from Australia to the Middle East documented incidences of heat stress. Additionally, concerns over vessel safety add an unsettling dimension to this debate, as livestock ships are reported to be twice as likely to sink compared to cargo vessels. Since 2009, at least six livestock export ships have tragically sunk, leading to the loss of both human lives and thousands of animals, amidst suffering in the face of their uncertain fate.
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| A cow covered in faeces onboard a ship docked at Cape Town harbour Image: NSPCA |
Community sentiment in Australia has shifted overwhelmingly towards supporting a ban on live exports. The momentum is evident, with nearly 44,000 Australians signing a parliamentary petition—marking one of the largest official e-Petitions in Australian history—calling for legislation to end live sheep exports.
As the South African government prepares to consider public feedback on its proposed regulations, the united voice of Australian and New Zealand animal welfare advocates serves as a crucial reminder of the ongoing fight for compassion in treatment of animals.
The conditions faced by animals in shipping cannot be ignored, and the urgent call to action aims to shift the paradigm towards a future where animal welfare is prioritised above profit.
