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Middle East Investigation: December 2007

Animals Australia's Fifth Middle East Investigation

In December 2007, Animals Australia investigators conducted a fifth investigation in the Middle East, in response to industry and government claims that welfare standards in the region were improving and that evidence of animal abuse from previous Animals Australia investigations were 'isolated incidents'.

The investigators documented extensive mistreatment of Australian animals in Bahrain, the UAE, and Jordan. Bahrain is where Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) are based and have conducted training courses and the Australian Veterinary Counsel is based in Dubai. Animals were filmed with their legs trussed with rope, being dragged across streets, stuffed and thrown into the back seats or boots of cars, tossed over railings into the backs of trucks, and slaughtered in abattoirs, or at home by the 'family' or on streets by 'free lance slaughter-men', their throats slit while fully conscious.

Animals Australia has conducted four previous investigations in the Middle East, consistently demonstrating that animal cruelty is widespread and that standards are not improving. Footage from these investigations has been aired on all of Australia's most credible current affairs programs, including the 7.30 Report, 60 Minutes, Four Corners, Today Tonight, and Landline. Yet the live export industry continues to claim these incidents are 'isolated' and that standards are improving. These claims demonstrate the lengths to which the industry will go to mislead the public for the sake of profit.

Training Programs

One of the major defences from industry is that their presence in the Middle East is improving welfare standards. As a result of Animals Australia's exposure of cruelty in the region, public outrage forced industry to initiate training programs in the Middle East. Prior to this exposure the industry had made no efforts to improve welfare in the region, despite exporting for 30 years.

In contrast to industry claims these training programs have not been effective. When Animals Australia investigators visited the Bahrain Livestock Corporation Feedlot where MLA trainers had conducted training courses, animals were filmed being dragged and tossed, their legs trussed with rope.

Real change in the Middle East will not occur whilst Australia continues to supply millions of animals each year to the region, as our willingness to supply animals reinforces locally held beliefs that their treatment of animals is acceptable.

Livestock trainers employed by MLA may be skilled and well-intentioned, but how can you inspire a belief in animal welfare, and the moral responsibilities that we have to animals in our care, when the industry that employs you, sets an example that it is acceptable to load millions of animals onto ships to send halfway around the world to be slaughtered?

The Eid

The Eid-Al-Adha is the primary religious festival in the Muslim calendar, coinciding with the end of the Hajj, where Muslims re-enact the story of Ibrahim in the old testament. Throughout the Middle East millions of animals are 'sacrificed' in private homes and premises on this day.

In December 2006, one year before the most recent investigation, Animals Australia investigators documented treatment of animals in Cairo in the lead up to the Eid, capturing footage of countless Australian animals being trussed and shoved into car boots. This evidence revealed Egypt's disregard for the MOU negotiated between Australia and Egypt in which Egypt committed to treating Australian animals humanely and in accordance with OIE (World Authority for Animal Health) standards.

Australia has exported sheep to Egypt specifically for the Eid festival over the past decade. However in 2007, one year after Animals Australia's investigation, the live export industry opted not to send sheep to Egypt for the Eid festival, claiming 'no commercial interest', despite Egyptian media's confirmation that there was in fact a demand for Australian sheep from Egyptian importers. This makes it clear that Australia’s live exporters were fearful of the damage that further documentation of poor treatment of animals in Egypt would do to the live export industry's reputation.

The treatment of Australian sheep had not been documented in other Middle Eastern countries during the lead up to this religious festival. Animals Australia's investigators visited UAE and Bahrain the most westernised countries in the region (and therefore where Australia is likely to have greatest influence) to document the treatment of Australian animals. At major selling points, Australia sheep were continually dragged, trussed, thrown onto trucks and shoved in car boots.

Despite their knowledge that this period was one of the busiest selling periods for Australian sheep for the year there were no MLA or Australian government staff present to monitor treatment and ensure the success of their training.

Conclusions of the investigation

There is no evidence to suggest that MLA’s courses in the Middle East have changed local attitudes to animals. Instead the example that the live export industry sets is that it is acceptable to transport animals halfway around the world, and to have tens of thousands die on board ships each year, only for the surviving animals to be slaughtered. This is a clear message of profit over welfare.

The investigators documented extensive animal cruelty at all facilities visited further evidencing the fact that incidents of cruelty in the region are not 'isolated'.

While government and industry chose not to send animals to Egypt in the lead up to the Eid for fear of further damage to the live export industry's reputation, Animals Australia's investigators found conditions to be equally deplorable in the UAE, Bahrain and Jordan.

The live export industry has now exported over 150 million animals to the Middle East. Were there international laws governing animal welfare, the industry would be equally culpable knowing the fate to which they sent these animals. You cannot oppose animal cruelty whilst you are knowingly supplying millions of animals each year to a cruel fate.

Despite over 30 years of exporting to the Middle East, it has only been since Animals Australia's public exposure of the cruelty inherent in the trade that anything has been done to try to improve welfare standards in the region. But no amount of training courses will overcome the damaging message that accompanies every Australian animal into the region, that we believe their treatment of animals to be acceptable, due to our willingness to supply them.

Outcomes of the Investigation

Animals Australia has provided investigation materials to local groups in the Middle East and major international groups to lobby governments in the Middle East to pass animal protection laws.

Evidence obtained through Animals Australia's investigative work has formed the foundation for the creation of 'Handle With Care', an unprecedented coalition of leading national and international animal protection groups to end live animal exports.

Animals Australia in conjuction with the ‘Handle with Care’ coalition will be calling on Prime Minister Rudd to end Australia’s live export trade to the Middle East.

During a radio interview Adelaide last February, Mr Rudd, then Opposition leader was asked to comment on footage of cruelty to exported animals filmed by Animals Australia in the Middle East He said said,

"I cannot abide animal cruelty and if there was anything which lies within the Commonwealth’s powers to make sure that sort of abuse does not occur within this industry, let me assure you, it will happen."

What I am suggesting is that inhumane conditions, cruel conditions under which we see examples of this occurring at present, cannot be sustained and unless you can get proper arrangements and agreements at the other end, the importing country, then we’ve got to ask ourselves questions in deep conscience as well.”

Seven countries, five investigations.. one conclusion… Mr Rudd

Australians don’t want to be world leaders in a cruel and immoral trade.

It is time to ask Kevin Rudd to end live export.

Photos from the Middle East December 2007 Investigation

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