Archive for October, 2010

Live Animal Exports from Australia to Egypt Must Stop

Sunday, October 24th, 2010

Live-export furyNarelle Towie Environment Reporter

24 October 2010

Sunday Times (Perth)

Inquiry reveals cattle cruelty at sea

ALMOST 300 cattle that perished on a live-export voyage from Fremantle to Egypt suffered a slow, cruel death, a Federal Government inquiry has found.

During 22 days at sea about 7400 cattle on the lower decks of Wellard Rural Export’s MV Ocean Shearer were “panting and gasping” for air and suffering from heat stress while standing in their own excrement, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service report says.

Seventeen animals were too decomposed to determine death and some cattle had to be treated for lameness, infections and stomach problems.

Some of the animals were in such bad condition they were slumped on the deck or hunched over and drooling. Others were agitated and panting.

The investigation was launched after nearly 300 cattle out of 16,460 died on the voyage in February.

More than 360 sheep out of 40,282 also perished on the same trip, which continued to Qatar, but because the number was below 1 per cent of deaths the sheep incidents were not investigated.

 The cattle that suffered most were kept in enclosed lower-level compartments that, after 10 days, were given the worst possible condition ranking.

The report, released this week, stated: “Mortalities for the first few days were low and started to rise on day five of the voyage as deck temperatures and humidity increased. The main cause of cattle mortality was reported to be pneumonia.”

Several factors were found to have contributed to the pneumonia, including heat stress, deck conditions, lack of crew, infectious pathogens and breed.

 Twenty-five animals had to be euthanased in the last three days of the voyage.

The animals were the first to be exported to Egypt since a ban was imposed in 2006.

Animal activists have condemned conditions on the ship, calling the live-export trade cruel and demanding that a ban be reintroduced.

“The formal report confirms the absolutely squalid and horrid conditions that these cattle endured,” Animals Australia director Glenys Oogjes said. “This tragedy is just another in a long line of similar tragedies when you send live animals to the other side of the world. The live-export profit motive overshadows any care and proper concern for the animals.”

 “The trade is inherently risky. No amount of PR can protect Australian animals once they step foot on a ship.”

 Wellard Rural Export managing director Steve Meerwald said the incident was  “disappointing” but isolated. The result for the cattle on this particular voyage is particularly disappointing for Wellard, which ships sheep and cattle week in, week out from ports all around Australia without incident,” Mr Meerwald said.

He said that in 2009, 99.9 per cent of Australian cattle arrived fit and healthy at their destination.

Federal Fremantle MP Melissa Park said: “Live export is inhumane and it also has a detrimental effect on the local meat-processing industry, affecting jobs and the economy. It makes no economic sense to continue with the live-export trade when a high-value alternative exists.”

 Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service recommended special conditions be placed on consignments of cattle exported through the Middle East or North Africa by Wellard Exports.

A bittersweet good-bye from Mammie

Sunday, October 17th, 2010

Dear all,  ‘bittersweet’ letter from Mammie follows :
 
Dear All, each and every one of you…..
 
I wanted to tell you I had a lovely week at ESMA with all my new friends, and enjoyed laying in the sun and fresh air and eating good food….
 
On Friday Mona stayed with me all day till late at night.  I wanted to please her and felt better so I finally opened my eyes (I could see out of one) and looked up at her and saw ‘an angel’.  I was also able to ‘do my business (both)’ in front of her to please her further… first time also in a week, but my lungs were still filled with fluid…
 
So after that lovely week and when Mona went home late at night and all the human keepers were asleep, I decided to ‘fly’ to the Rainbow Bridge…Please don’t be sad for me, all, humans and animals, are happy at the rainbow bridge reunited with the ones they love.
 
Thank you all for loving me and wanting to help me, I will never forget that and I will be watching you from above with the Angels.
 
I only ask one thing from you please….Please all of you, all over the world try and stop the breeders…they cause so much misery, I ask this on behalf of of my brothers and sisters in servitude  who have had to serve these breeders for their greediness with no thought to how we feel.  I know one day you will do it, I will be looking down watching you.
 
Love you all and will always remember your kindness,
Mammie
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Our newest rescue Mammie–thrown away by a breeder

Sunday, October 17th, 2010

Please do not but animals from breeders!  Here is just one more reason why buying from breeders and pet shops is the direct cause of animal cruelty:

This beautiful female Rotweiller (estimated  age 7-8 years old), was brought to ESMA’s shelter on Friday night by one of our Founders.  She had been found at the local PDSA, just about to be eauthanised on the instructions of her owner, a callous breeder, as she ‘was no longer any use to him’.
 
This is the condition we found her in :
 
-She couldn’t stand on her hind legs.
-Couldn’t defecate or urinate by herself.
-Has just a few very bad teeth due to constant pregnancies and poor diet.
-She has ulcerated eyes (we initially thought she did not have eyes at all until they started appearing after drops and ointment yesterday)
-Her nipples are the size of lemons due to non stop feeding of her constant litters.
-When she was brought to us she didn’t even have the strength to sniff pureed food (as of last night she is now swallowing food being given to her by hand)
 
Yesterday we took her to a very experienced vet (we have young vets but needed to take her to someone with a lot of experience).  He took two hours to examine every part of her and do x-rays.  This is his report :
 
-The eyes are ulcerated but with extensive cleaning, use of drops and ointment she will regain part of her vision.
-Due to laying constantly in the same confined position  for years and years she has 2 discs pressing on each other, this maybe can be rectified by acupuncture, massage, homeopathy treatments and vitamin treatment.
-She has water on her lungs (she is being treated for this).
-The lack of teeth and bad skin condition  is due to constant pregnancies and nursing, depleting her body of calcium.
 
ALL OF THIS SUFFERING SO BREEDERS CAN MAKE MONEY BY SELLING TO PET SHOPS – PLEASE DO NOT BUY FROM BREEDERS AND PET SHOPS – INDIRECTLY INDIVIDUALS ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS PROBLEM BY DOING SO…..
 
This is her treatment plan.  She needs intravenous fluids till she regains strength and correct fluid levels.  Eye treatment already outlined above, back treatment also outlined above.  She needs to have thorough blood tests done and also kidney and renal function tests.
 
We therefore ask our supporters to please help us with the costs of her treatment.  Her medications will be costly and extensive.  The vet estimates it will take about 3 months for her to achieve a significant improvement but she will get better!   WE CAN DO IT WITH YOUR HELP AND LOTS OF LOVING CARE
 
Please help ‘Mammie’ if you can,  by contacting me or Mona Khalil (locally).  Or if you live overseas go to our web site for details of how you can donate to ‘Mammie’s’ treatment…please state that this sum is for use in Mammie’s treatment.