Animal Welfare

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WSPA applauds WA Labor Party on backing chilled meat exports

The World Society for the Protection of Animals commends the Western Australian Labor Party on its move to improve animal welfare, following the launch of a discussion paper by leader Mark McGowan. In the paper, Strengthening Animal Welfare in Western Australia (link opens a PDF), a key recommendation is to work with overseas trade offices to promote chilled meat products and create a commercial alternative to live exports. This is a positive development in placing animal welfare on the political … Continued

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Minister flies out to shore up new live export rules

As reported in today’s article from Sydney Morning Herald, Minister for Agriculture, Joe Ludwig, is traveling this week to the Middle East to discuss animal welfare standards with regards to live exports. The trip comes following the Minister’s imposed deadline of 1 March to enact new animal welfare guidelines and “supply chain assurances.” Live export companies have been crying out against these new guidelines, predicting that the new framework will result in decreased shipments for 2012. A recent article in … Continued

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Ethics and Economics Thrown Overboard in Labor Response to Live Export Review

It’s “band-aid as usual” stated World Society for the Protection of Animals campaigns manager Jessica Borg, in response to Senator Joe Ludwig’s press conference on proposed live export reform. A revised industry framework outlined by the Gillard Government still makes exporters ultimately responsible for animal welfare. Yet it has been proven time and again that they have not been able to achieve this. These recommendations do not adequately address the problems that horrified the Australian public in a recent Four … Continued

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WSPA presents at Senate Inquiry into Live Exports

On the 10th August I gave a presentation to the Senate Standing Committee on Rural Affairs and Transport at their inquiry into animal welfare standards in the live export industry. In my opening statements I outlined the inherent cruelty in the industry, how we cannot trust the live export industry to care for our animals and how investing in local processing and jobs would provide a more stable base for farmers and our economy. Of course there were opinions on … Continued

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Politicians, Industry And Welfare Groups Unite In Call For End To Live Animal Export

Representatives from across the political, meat processing industry and animal welfare spectrum united today to call for an end to live sheep export at a press conference in major live sheep export town, Fremantle, WA. Melissa Parke, Federal member for Fremantle said, “Ethical considerations aside, the live sheep export trade is simply bad business. An independent economic report has revealed that a sheep processed locally is worth 20 percent more to the economy than one exported live – it’s high … Continued

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Help Reinstate the Animal Welfare Inspectorate Unit in WA

Several months ago, we wrote about the dismantling of the Animal Welfare Inspectorate Unit in Western Australia, in which the number of Animal Welfare Inspectors were reduced from 6 to 1. This means that there is now only one person in charge of inspecting all of the millions of sheep that leave the shores of WA. In response, Labor MP Lisa Baker is tabling a grievance against the Government for failing to protect these voiceless animals. A respectful and peaceful … Continued

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THE STATE OF ANIMAL WELFARE ENFORCEMENT IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

A recent article in Perth Now by Narelle Towie highlights the detrimental changes to animal welfare standards in Western Australia. Towie describes how funding cuts have led to a number of incidents of animal cruelty going uninvestigated and notes that “Armadale MP Alannah MacTiernan [has] labelled policing of WA’s livestock industry ‘a joke’”. You can read the full piece here on Perth Now and leave your comments. Dawn Lowe of the organisation Animals’ Angels – Australia recently wrote a piece … Continued

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Mayor of Fremantle calls to end live export – Uganda bans it completely

Pressure is mounting for Australia to make a stand and put an end to live animal export as the Government of Uganda takes the lead and announces a total ban of the trade. As the Mayor of Fremantle in WA calls for the live export trade to be phased out over the next five years, the Government of Uganda leads the charge and will soon implement a total ban on live animal export. The shift in policy is a direct … Continued

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62,566 CUSTOMERS FROM THE BODY SHOP DEMAND AN END TO AUSTRALIA’S LIVE SHEEP TRADE

In just four weeks over 62,000 customers of The Body Shop have added their link to WSPA’s Humane Chain, demanding an end to live sheep export. The overwhelming response far exceeded The Body Shop’s original target of adding 40,000 links, the equivalent of roughly one person for every sheep that dies en route to the Middle East annually. “The Body Shop customers have responded, and they want an end to live sheep exports – permanently,” said Adam Valvasori from The … Continued

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THE BODY SHOP IS BUSY COUNTING

From the 15th of March to the 11th of April, The Body Shop took WSPA’s Humane Chain campaign into all 83 of their stores across Australia. Their aim was to have 40,000 Australians join the Humane Chain at its stores, roughly one person for every sheep that dies en route to the Middle East every year. The Body Shop is busy counting all the links they gathered and will release the results early next week. Watch this space!