May 30, 2011

Australian live export ban supported by animal activists

The Australian livestock export industry has been praised for stopping the supply of cattle temporarily to Indonesian abattoirs maligned of animal cruelty.

Animal rights activists are pleased with the move, but said the industry should have intervened earlier.

The Australian livestock export industry was forced to suspend exports to three Indonesian abattoirs after viewing disturbing footage of animal cruelty filmed by animal rights campaigners.

The Pastoralists and Graziers Association of WA said the suspension sends out a strong message to international abattoirs that cruelty will not be tolerated.

However, Dawn Lowe from the group Animals Angels said the industry should have been actively monitoring the abattoirs.

"In our experience the industry is not proactive until it is caught out," she said.

The industry representative Livecorp said the disturbing footage has upset cattle producers who have been trying to improve welfare standards in recent years.

It said it will not be sending any cattle to the abattoirs where the cruelty occurred until it is certain all animal welfare issues are addressed.