Australian ambassador defends export of live animals to UAE

12 Feb 2007

Dubai: The Australian ambassador to the UAE has defended live exports of animals to the UAE following protests by rock star Chrissie Hynde.

Jeremy Bruer has accused campaigners of 'misleading' the public.

He told Gulf News that animal transport ships met or exceeded 'international health standards' and had veterinary surgeons on board to 'constantly monitor welfare'.

"Misleading statements are being made about the number of animals that die and the standards on board," he said.

He said Australia has signed six memorandums of understanding with governments in the region regulating live-export animal welfare standards.

"We're working with our trade partners to address some past animal welfare concerns and these have led to improvements in transport, handling and slaughter," he said.

"We export a large amount of processed and chilled meat, but there's a strong preference in these markets for live animals," he said, to explain why more animals are not killed in Australia and their meat shipped here.

According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta), the UAE imports about 230,000 live sheep from Australia annually, with the journey taking more than a week. Geoff Wheatley, former chairman of the Australian Business in the Gulf Group, has seen animals being loaded onto and taken off ships in Australia and the UAE.

Few mortalities

"The way sheep are handled in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Australia is extremely well done. Nonsense is being said by sensationalist people," he added.

Dr Nigel Brown, a vet from the Gulf office of Meat and Livestock Australia, said: "There are many cases of voyages carrying large numbers of animals from Australia to the Middle East with very few mortalities."

He said if Australia stopped exporting live animals to the Gulf, countries with fewer animal welfare regulations would take up the slack, causing a reduction in welfare standards.

However, vet Dr Martin Wyness of the British Veterinary Centre in Abu Dhabi supports a live exports ban. "These massive shipments from Australia are very unpleasant. Shipping live animals large distances in cramped conditions is inhumane - end of story. It's a highly, highly stressful procedure and there are always animals that die in transit," he said.

Wyness said there was little vets could do to maintain welfare standards on large ships.

"To say they're interested in welfare is nonsense. That's not why vets are on board. What they are worried about are diseases that could threaten the trade," he said.

A Dubai-based veterinary surgeon said: "I don't like the thought of animals being shipped live. It is stressful and there is scientific evidence that it's stressful.

"Let's face it. These food companies are only interested in their margins. I don't think animal welfare is foremost among their concerns,"he said.