RSPCA: Live Export Is ‘Institutionalized Cruelty’ And Should Be Banned

By Kimberly Coleman

A recent 60 Minutes documentary on Australia’s live export industry indicates a high mortality rate during the transport of live animals.

Government deregulation of the live export trade began in 1998. The death rate of transported animals has since escalated.

Veterinarians who spoke to CBS journalists said they were forced to falsify reports of the number of animal deaths during transport. RSPCA President Hugh Wirth described the live export trade as "institutionalized cruelty".

LiveCorp, one of the private Australian companies licensed in live export trade, maintains their license in spite of the fact that the RSPCA in July of 2002 revealed a large scale loss of life in animals transported by LiveCorp.

The humane organization has been unable to get LiveCorp to meet with them to discuss animal welfare issues.

Information that had once been available to the public has been reclassified by LiveCorp as "commercial in confidence". Dr. Wirth points out that LiveCorp is a privately held company and may have board members with roles in live export trade, possibly creating a conflict of interests.

One Australian export company had over five hundred cows die during a transport in 1999. The Charolais Express, headed for Israel, lost over fifty percent of the animals on board during the voyage. Industry standard for loss is one percent.

The export company responsible for the Charolais Express has not received any penalties, suspensions, or fines as of 2003. The government has not provided any indications as to what caused the deaths of the animals on board.

The RSPCA is attempting to negotiate with government agencies to replace the live export trade with a chilled carcass system.

Live export trade in Australia brings in over one million dollars per year.

© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.