RSPCA ‘disbelief’ at call on 50,000 sheep on Al Kuwait
A cargo of 50,000 sheep has been stuck at Fremantle after 21 crew were confirmed to have COVID-19.
A live cargo of 50,000 sheep will be permitted to sail to the Middle East more than two weeks after the start of a moratorium imposed by the Federal government to prevent death and distress among livestock arriving into the Northern Hemisphere summer.
Fremantle-based exporter RETWA has been given a last-minute reprieve and will be permitted to load the COVID-19-affected Al Kuwait. The carrier, which was quarantined last month after 21 crew were confirmed to have COVID-19, will leave with a full cargo bound for Kuwait this Wednesday.
The RSPCA says it feels “utter disbelief” that the federal Department of Agriculture has backflipped on its earlier refusal to allow the Al Kuwait to leave after the June 1 moratorium on live export, which applies until September.
In a surprise announcement, the Federal Department of Agriculture announced on Saturday it had granted the livestock exporter RETWA permission to begin loading and leave port.
The decision, signed off by the Deputy Secretary of the department, cited reduced on-board stocking density that would reduce risk and adverse financial impacts to the exporter RETWA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuwait Livestock Transport and Trading.
RSPCA spokesman Dr Jed Goodfellow says the decision represents an extraordinary about-face and means thousands of sheep will be exposed to the searing heat and humidity of Kuwait during a so-called prohibited period.
“This exemption indicates that the government has swung the risk pendulum back in favour of economic interests over animal welfare.”
“The risks to the health and welfare of the sheep which were key to the previous decision have not diminished – in fact, they increase every day as temperatures in the Middle East rise.”
RETWA general manager Mike Gordon says ventilation, livestock heat tolerance and weather forecasts have been reviewed with expert advice.
“In making this submission RETWA believes all identified risks can be mitigated and managed accordingly.”
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