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Massive live sheep shipment threatens New Zealand reputation: animal rights group

Xinhua, June 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

A ship carrying what is said to be New Zealand's largest ever export of live sheep has sparked controversy as it prepares to leave the South Island port of Timaru.

The ship, due to leave Thursday, is carrying 50,000 live sheep and about 3,000 cattle to restock farms in Mexico after a recent drought, reports said Wednesday.

Animal rights group Save Animals From Exploitation (SAFE) condemned the shipment as cruel with a huge potential for serious suffering.

"These animals are going to suffer and hundreds will likely die. Many sheep do not adapt to the conditions and food onboard and end up sick or starving to death," SAFE executive director Hans Kriek said in a statement Wednesday.

In Australia, more than 2.5 million sheep, cattle and goats had died on live export ships since 1981, he said.

"Live export is absolutely appalling. It is shameful. Every exporter in New Zealand should be very concerned, because this has real potential to damage New Zealand's reputation," said Kriek.

New Zealand banned the export of livestock for slaughter unless special approval was granted by the director-general of the Ministry for Primary Industries, which had been granted in this case, Radio New Zealand reported.

MPI deputy director-general Scott Gallacher told Radio New Zealand that vet staff would be checking the stock before they left and the animals' well-being would be their most important consideration.

The exporter was Mexican-owned, Christchurch-based Livestock and Agricultural Products, said the report. Endi