Animal rights group criticizes treatment of sheep during Eid-Al-Adha
Novembert 21, 2010
This photograph taken by Animals Australia depicts three Australian sheep loaded in the boot of a car in Kuwait for sacrifice during Eid-Al-Adha on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2010.
KUWAIT: Animals Australia called on Australian Prime Minister Gillard to ban the live export trade to the Middle East after investigators documented shocking new evidence of brutality to Australian sheep, in a report published on its Web site on Wednesday.
Animals Australia investigators were in Kuwait and Bahrain for the three day Eid-Al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice - marking when God intervened to stop Abraham from sacrificing his son) during which millions of animals are sacrificed as part of religious celebrations.
According to the report, footage and photographs obtained in Kuwait and Bahrain showed terrified Australian sheep being manhandled, trussed, thrown, shoved into car boots and lying across the bodies of other bloodied dying sheep on roadsides, before having their throats cut whilst fully conscious. In one incident in Kuwait, three Australian sheep were forced into a boot whilst another terrified animal purchased for sacrifice was transported to a private premises chained by his neck to the winch of a tow truck.
Animals Australia investigator Lyn White who travelled to Kuwait said, "It is unconscionable and immoral that Australia's live export industry provides animals for this festival knowing full well the mammoth scale of cruelty that occurs each year. Animals Australia has previously proposed that at the very least this industry enter into agreements with importers to stop the on selling of sheep to private buyers, but even this small step to protect the welfare of sheep was refused."
She added, "In 2008 the live sheep trade was banned to Egypt following evidence of brutal treatment which is exactly the same as what we have again documented yesterday in Kuwait -the largest destination for Australian sheep. If the treatment that Australian sheep received in Egypt was unacceptable enough to ban the trade, then a similar ban needs to be implemented in case of Kuwait."
Australia has exported tens of millions of sheep to Kuwait for over three decades. The treatment of animals documented by Animals Australia investigators exposes the false claims of the live export industry that by being present in the region they can change attitudes towards animals.
White went on to say, "The live export industry knows better than most the mammoth cruelty that is inflicted on millions of animals from many nations during Eid Al-Adha. This treatment of animals continues despite it being in conflict with Islamic teachings."
Animals Australia will also be meeting with Dairy Australia after investigators filmed the shocking extended slaughter of two young dairy bulls - one on a street in Kuwait and the other in a carpentry workshop.
"Australia has exported dairy heifers to Kuwait every year over the past decade. There is every likelihood that these animals were the progeny of Australian dairy cattle," White pointed out.
"We will be ensuring that Prime Minister Gillard receives a full copy of the evidence investigators have obtained. No one who cares about animal welfare can condone the barbaric treatment of animals that occurs during this festival. Our government has a duty to protect Australian animals from being brutalized. Refusing to supply animals citing animal welfare concerns will provide a much needed wakeup call that will reverberate through all levels of society and set a precedent that animals and their welfare matters." concluded White.
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You know - people wonder why the price of lamb has risen to a staggering 120kd ($427) per lamb this year. Do you think it is going to get any better if countries like Australia ban the import of live sheep because of issues of inhumane treatment.
If you think the meat you're eating is hilal - it aint always so. Animals are not supposed to see other animals die or wallow in blood or be treated cruelly prior to slaughter. PETA has extensive video footage of slaughter houses in Kuwait. It aint pretty.
8 comments:
NewBiznezMan:
It is all her fualt that woman Lyn White the Koverment now bans photografy in Kuwait with digital kamera .
Foreign people sneek to kuwait and pretend to be inocent tourist taking picture here there then crying to Prime Minster to stop selling sheep . Now no photografy allowed . Is she happy for this
NewBizBiz - that's fascinating.
@NewBiznezman-Perhaps if the sheep were treated humanely in the first place, then this photo would not have been taken!
NewBizBiz - is that really why the government is banning photography in Kuwait? So, in other words, instead of working to resolve the problem, they are trying to avoid public (global?) knowledge of it?
I like to see people caring animals. Thanks for the post...
ZZ/Abadi -
I have decided not to publish your comments as I feel they conflict with my comments disclaimer.
I don't believe that you fully understood the content of this post. The treatment of animals in Islam is indeed to be humane/kind to the animal.
Hello Desert Girl,
Thank you for your article. Live in Western Australia and see the boats leave with the animals,, it is very sad.
Please let me know whether people in kuwait are accepting of chilled meat from the supermarket or do they prefer buying animals from the butcher?
Also what is the cost of australian live sheep per kg and chilled meat from australia per kg.
Thank you again
I'd love to join any protest. The way people in this country treat animals makes me ashamed to be one of them. Mistreating animals is 7aram, but we are living in a country filled with uncivillized, inhuman brutes. No form of protest or punishment will make them understand. Nonetheless, we should try our best in raising national awareness to the plight of animals.
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