ANIMALS Australia (AA) has publicly released video evidence today showing abuse of what it alleges are Australian cattle in the Gaza Strip, to reignite a debate on the live export trade’s future.
A series of videos posted on YouTube
show cattle being subject to varying degrees of abuse during the recent Eid al Adha festival of sacrifice.
The graphic incidents
include animals being beaten and dragged by ropes off trucks without unloading ramps, getting stabbed in the eyes and having their necks "sawn" at with blunt knives.
In one horrific scene, a
steer is knee-capped with an assault rifle, while crowds of noisy civilians are also endangered as they witness slaughter in makeshift public abattoirs.
Animals Australia also issued a briefing report on the Gaza incident which says cattle in the videos were identified as Australian through their ear tags “which are of a type, size and shape that is unique to Australian exporters to Israel, as well as through the presence of NLIS (National Livestock Identification Scheme) RFID tags”.
“Also, a number of ear tags directly correlated with ear tags of Australian cattle arriving in Israel in June 2013 aboard the livestock vessel Bader 3, which is operated by Australian exporter Livestock Shipping Services (LSS),” the report said.
The briefing report highlights 22 individual case files detailing incidents of abuse.
The animal cruelty allegations directed at WA-based LSS are already being investigated by the Federal Department of Agriculture under the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS).
On November 11, LSS issued a statement saying an online Israeli news service had reported claims the week before, of poor treatment of cattle in Gaza during the festival, in mid-October.
The statement said the media report claimed the cattle involved were imported to Gaza from Israel and “it also noted that Israel is a significant importer of Australian cattle”.
“As one of the exporters of Australian cattle into Israel and Gaza, LSS is now proactively reconfirming the integrity of its supply chains in both these areas, including to liaise with the Israel Veterinary Authority (IVS) to cross reference and reconcile traceability records,” LSS said.
“In combination with the above, an absolute priority for LSS is to address uncertainty about the possible source of the cattle.
“Many of the identifiable features in online photos and footage are not exclusive to Australian cattle.
“LSS does not consider it appropriate, at this stage, to speculate and is urgently investigating these matters.”
LSS said based on observation of ear tags in an online photo, “that may show an Australian animal”, it had reported potential non-compliance with ESCAS to the Department.
“LSS is absolutely committed to animal welfare and places great importance on establishing the accuracy of claims about poor practices that could relate to any Australian animals in countries to which the company exports or which could indicate issues within the supply chains that have been established under ESCAS,” the statement said.
Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) also issued a statement regarding the Gaza footage.
ALEC says the Gaza footage released by Animals Australia has not been provided to ALEC.
However, ALEC says three YouTube links to disturbing and graphic material allegedly taken in the Gaza Strip was provided to ALEC chief executive officer Alison Penfold by a third party on November 8.
ALEC says the YouTube videos were considered by the ALEC Board immediately and ALEC reported the footage to the Department of Agriculture on November 20 following internal inquiries and Board discussion.
“The ALEC Board took the decision that we would report the most serious incident involving a man shooting at the legs of a bull and which was first published on Youtube on October 22, 2013. It is alleged to have been taken place in the Gaza Strip,” the ALEC statement said.
“We chose not to release the footage publicly at the time of formally writing to the Department as the vision was gross and disturbing, it’s origin could not be verified and public debate could not add any factual weight to our complaint or formal investigation by the industry’s regulator.
“Exporters collectively have been horrified by it irrespective of the fact that the animal’s origin has not been able to be verified.
“ALEC has responded to an incident we find obscene and occurred outside of an approved supply chain and in private hands. Individual exporters to the market have also taken actions particular to their own circumstances and were encouraged to do so by ALEC.
“ALEC is very much aware that a number of recent complaints of possible breaches of ESCAS relate to alleged leakages from ESCAS approved supply chains.
“While we await the outcomes of the Department’s investigations into these complaints and without prejudice, industry is considering options to strengthen traceability and control mechanisms within supply chains.
“With that said, the images present in the footage remind us as a community that we face a global challenge of improving attitudes and behaviours to animals by people who do not handle livestock on a daily basis.
“Banning the Australian livestock export industry will not resolve this problem – indeed it could make it worse - as it is Australia’s on the ground presence in markets that is showing people a better way to handle and respect livestock.”
Animals Australia says the video footage it released today was filmed by civilians during the Festival of Sacrifice and has now been provided to all Federal MPs and Senators.
Animals Australia campaign director Lyn White said no words could adequately describe the “carnage” in the videos and “scale of abuse endured by Australian cattle”.
“It is shocking and completely harrowing to watch,” she said.
“There is a moral imperative on every politician to watch it as many have given pre-conditioned support to live export continuing on the basis that animals are treated humanely.”
Animals Australia said it has lodged a “significant legal complaint” on the Gaza incident, which is the third such complaint in two months, following regulatory breaches in Jordan and Mauritius.
Ms White said there was now “extensive evidence that Australian animals in three export markets were subjected to horrendous cruelty during the Festival of Sacrifice in October - cruel treatment that live export regulations were put in place to prevent”.
“The ineffectiveness of Australian regulations is obvious,” she said.
“It is time for every politician to search their consciences as to how they can allow this trade to continue.”
The Gaza incident marks the 24th investigation into alleged breaches of the ESCAS, with the first being from Animals Australia on February 24, 2012, relating to four Indonesian abattoirs.
That investigation found no need for regulatory action saying, “There is no evidence in either of these cases to suggest that exporters have not complied with their responsibilities under the framework”.
Of the 24 reported ESCAS breaches, eight investigations have been completed including the highest profile incident involving a cull of Australian sheep in Pakistan last year.
“The investigation concluded that intervention by the Pakistan authorities and accompanying armed police was beyond the control of Wellard and could not have been avoided through the exercise of all due care,” the Department said.
f**king disgusting.