Industry Claims

The following claims have been made on Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) and other industry websites. Animals Australia's investigations show that live animal export to the Middle East is indefensible.

“[The Australian Live Export Industry] has made positive improvements to animal welfare practices in Egypt over the past three years”

MLA Chairman Don Heatley
Media Release – 'Cattle industry outraged by 60 Minutes story' 26/02/06

Egypt - January 2006	Egypt - December 2006

Australian sheep in Oman being trussed before being dragged onto the blood drain

"Australia has worked intensively with the countries that buy our animals to improve standards"

Australian sheep in Egypt being transported in car boots

"Australian industry has trained locals in new humane processing methods"

Trussed Australian sheep for private slaughter; a slaughterman covered in bloody handprints; an Australian sheep dying in a Middle Eastern slaughterhouse

"MLA and Livecorp recently conducted [animal handling] workshops on best practice cattle handling in Cairo and this was very successful"

MLA / Livecorp Manager of Livestock Services to the Middle East, Dr Nigel Brown
Media Release - Animal Handling Workshops begin in Kuwait - March 2004

Cairo, 2006 - Cattle documented having their eyes stabbed with knives and fingers, and tendons and tails slashed before being brutally slaughtered whilst fully conscious.

"..best practice animal welfare is not negotiable"

MLA Managing Director, Mark Spurr
Media Release - MLA welcomes re-opening of Saudi live trade (May 2005)

Bahrain - The Middle East base of  Meat & Livestock Australia - where dead and dying sheep were documented in feedlots

"..We are the kindest country when it comes to looking after animals being exported"

Trussed Australian sheep in the Middle East, transported in boots to be slaughtered without pre-stunning (illegal in Australia) in private homes.

"Claims of cruelty by so-called animal-rights groups are absolutely untrue"

Oman - sheep were forced to jump from the back of a ute onto a blood-covered tile floor. Many tripped over the blood drain, one suffering a suspected broken leg (right)

"Cruelty is not tolerated at any stage"

Left - Sheep in boot, Egypt. Right - This sheep was repeatedly kicked before being grappled to the ground and brutally slaughtered in Oman, 2006.

"The public can be confident that exports are carried out humanely and safely."

TL: Australian sheep slaughtered whilst fully conscious, Egypt
TR: Two Australian sheep lay trussed on the blood drain awaiting their fate
BL: This sheep was left to die in a Bahrain Feedlot
BR: Australian sheep being carried to be ritually slaughtered in Kuwait