Middle East Investigation 2006

In 2005 Australia exported more than 3.5 million sheep and more than 70,000 cattle to the Middle East.

During late December 2005 and January 2006, Animals Australia’s Communications Director Lyn White, accompanied by an experienced British freelance investigator funded by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), conducted an extensive investigation in the Middle East into the handling and slaughter of Australian exported animals.
The investigators visited Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt – all traditionally major importers of Australian animals.

Why the investigation was conducted
In response to increasing public opposition to the live export trade, live export industry representatives, supported by Federal and State governments, have repeatedly defended the continuation of the trade by stating that they are improving animal welfare in the Middle East through their presence in the region.
When concerns raised by Animals Australia, and an associated formal proposal put to the Federal government for an independent assessment in the Middle East, went unheeded, it was deemed necessary to conduct an extensive investigation to ensure that the Australian community was provided with accurate information on the welfare repercussions for Australian exported animals.

Outcome of investigation
This 16-day Middle East investigation was able to prove that despite industry claims, there has been no improvement in the handling and treatment of animals in premises previously identified to industry by the media and Animals Australia as having endemic problems. 

Further, the investigation revealed that Australian sheep are being on-sold to individual buyers and merchants on a broad scale in each country.  They are then transported and slaughtered in private homes and abattoirs (both legal and illegal) that are completely outside of the influence of the Australian industry.   

 

 

Australian sheep, once purchased by individual buyers, routinely have their legs trussed with twine and are transported in the boots of cars in a region where in summer months temperatures can reach 45 degrees celcius.

Completely unacceptable handling and slaughter practices involving Australian animals were documented in every one of the five countries visited.   Even in the major importer’s abattoirs - over which the Australian live export industry would be likely to have the greatest influence – animals were still slaughtered whilst fully conscious, a practice which is unacceptable in Australia.
Investigators also documented that Islamic slaughter principles (halal) were being continually breached.

Investigation Report by country

Kuwait

In 2003, Animals Australia and UK-based ‘Compassion in World Farming’ conducted an investigation in Kuwait.   The terrible slaughter and handling practices documented in the Municipal slaughterhouse were revealed on ‘60 Minutes’ in March 2004.    Twenty-four hours after ‘60 Minutes’ went to air, Meat & Livestock Australia (representing LiveCorp) announced a four-day animal handling workshop.  The industry had been exporting to Kuwait for at least 30 years! 

The workshop was held in April 2004 and at the Australian Veterinary Conference in May 2004, MLA’s Middle East Veterinary representative Dr Nigel Brown talked about the success of this workshop.  
Investigators returned in January 2006 to this slaughterhouse where hundreds of Australian sheep are slaughtered 6 nights a week.   Despite this abattoir having been publicly identified for appalling handling practices (and the industry’s subsequent 4-day animal-handling workshop) investigators found there had been no improvement in the handling and slaughter of Australian sheep since 2003. 

Further, investigators covertly documented the treatment of cattle during the slaughter process at this abattoir. Investigators witnessed a variety of cattle being taken in to the slaughterhouse in groups including a number of Friesan dairy cows.   Once again, the practices employed by the slaughtermen were found to be appalling and completely unacceptable, causing extreme  trauma for the cattle.  Four cattle at a time were brought into an open indoor area on a wet and slippery floor.  The cattle, one by one, were manhandled by four or five slaughtermen seeking to unbalance them until they fell heavily on their sides.   They were then held down whilst their throats were cut whilst fully conscious.  Eye sockets were again used to manipulate the heads of the animals into position for the throat cut.  The animals were slaughtered in full view of each other. Animals Australia is still trying to ascertain the origin of these animals. However, more than 4280 Australian cattle were exported to Kuwait in 2005 (1241 beef and 3,039 dairy).  We have been unable to ascertain to this time whether any country other than Australia exports cattle to Kuwait. 

On-selling of Australian sheep
Investigators also spent 3 days in Kuwait’s main animal market (Al Rai) witnessing on numerous occasions Australian animals being on-sold to merchants and to individual buyers.
They documented the purchase of an Australian sheep which was then trussed tightly with nylon rope, put into a wheelbarrow and wheeled to the doorway of a communal boarding house (right). It was then untied and forced up two flights of stairs before being slaughtered whilst fully conscious on the filthy floor of the communal toilet.

Oman

Investigators witnessed the arrival of the livestock vessel the MV Becrux from Fremantle (Western Australia) and documented transport of these animals to importers’ feedlots.  Within 24 hours, sheep from the Becrux were being re-loaded onto semi-trailers and transported into central Oman and to the southern city of Salalah – a further 15 hour journey by road.
Investigators followed truck-loads of sheep being on-sold from feedlots and documented terrible handling and slaughter of Australian sheep at two abattoirs – Nizra and Bakra - in the middle of the night. 

 

Australian sheep slaughtered at Nizra abattoir (a large tourist township in the mountains 130 kms from Muscat) had ear tags with a Victorian sheep property name.    They were dragged from the pen, trussed outside the slaughterhouse, dragged inside and then slaughtered whilst bound.    Another group of sheep at the same slaughterhouse were manhandled/dragged to the blood drain before being slaughtered.  

The last sheep in this group tragically still sought the comfort of its own kind by running up and down their dying bodies before being violently kicked in the head by a slaughterman and dragged to slaughter (see picture, above right). 
The investigators also observed in a number of cases the most basic understanding of welfare concerns was absent.  No ramps were being used in the unloading of sheep and cattle from trucks. For example, at Bakra abattoir (on the outskirts of Muscat) they documented a merchant forcing sheep to jump from the truck onto the slippery abattoir floor (one animal breaking its leg) before they were brutally slaughtered.

Egypt

In Egypt – investigators, with the assistance of local Egyptians, accessed and documented the slaughter of cattle in Cairo’s main abattoir – Bassateen.   This abattoir is where the majority of the over 1 million Australian cattle exported to Egypt have been slaughtered since 1995. 

 

Left: Young buffalo trussed in ute

Right: Australian sheep, trussed, in car boot

 

Whilst in Egypt, investigators visited the major animal/meat market in Cairo.   Australian sheep were on sale.   On being purchased, three of their legs were trusssed tightly with twine and they were put in the boots of cars. (above right)

These animals would have then been taken to private premises for ‘home slaughter’.  Investigators also witnessed generally appalling treatment of animals, and so unloading without ramps and a truck load of young buffalo with their legs trussed so tightly jammed together that their heads hung over the sides of the vehicle. (above left)
Also documented at this market place was a group of sheep, including an Australian sheep, slaughtered whilst fully conscious in a back-room illegal slaughterhouse.

These instances again clearly show the limitations of claims of Australian industry ‘influence’.  Animals are on-sold and endure acts of cruelty.    Also witnessed by investigators were Australian sheep being thrown from ground level into the back of a truck.  They were stopped from filming this by the Egyptian vendor.

Bahrain

The Middle East base of  Meat & Livestock Australia! An Australian veterinary representative from MLA has been based in Bahrain for over 15 years.   Of all the Middle Eastern countries importing Australian animals this should be the one where Australia influence should be most evident due to MLA’s presence.

There is only one major importer of Australian sheep into Bahrain – the Bahrain Livestock Corporation (BLC) which owns the feedlot and abattoir.   Dead and dying sheep were documented at the feedlot (right).  Sheep were observed being on-sold to individual buyers and merchants from the feedlot.   Despite the existence of pens and a ramp at this feedlot, investigators documented feedlot workers dragging sheep by rear legs, trussed tightly with twine and then roughly putting them in boots of cars and small utes for home slaughter.
Investigators interviewed that abattoir manager, feedlot manager and a number of local merchants in the Muhurraq and Manama regions,, and documented the slaughter of Australian sheep in small shanty-like illegal slaughterhouses.
Investigators also documented slaughter of sheep at the Bahrain slaughterhouse – which would be presented by industry as an example of best- practice slaughter in the region. 

 

Qatar

Qatar has only one major importer  - Qatar Livestock Corporation (also known as Al Mawashi).
Investigators attended at the major animal market in Doha – the capital of Qatar.   Located next to the animal market is the Qatar Livestock Corporation feedlot and abattoir.  There is also a smallabattoir run by QLC in the major animal market for purchasers of individual sheep.  Investigators documented purchase of local animals in this feedlot and the method of transportation to the abattoir – animals were thrown over the shoulders of vendors and taken to the slaughterhouse.
Australian sheep are available for purchase between 3 and 5 pm each day to individual buyers from the QLC feedlot.   Animals were documented being dragged, trussed and placed in boots.

Feedlots
The live export industry claims the provision of shade in feedlots in the Middle East to be indicative of its ability to improve welfare.  However presenting an argument to importers that ensures fewer deaths – therefore greater profit – is a commercial argument that obviously has benefits for importers first and foremost.  Investigators witnessed no behaviour/treatment that related primarily to consideration of the animals' welfare interests.  
Re feedlots - in Bahrain, shade was available to 50% of animals viewed, in Qatar similar, in Oman shade was provided for most animals.  Feedlots in Kuwait and Egypt were not accessed.  However, of note was a recorded conversation with sheep merchant Ali Alfadhalla in the Muhurraq suburb of Bahrain.  He stated that in peak summer periods he loses five of fifty Australian sheep each week as they are not able to cope with the heat even when provided with shade.  He also stated that they refuse to eat for 3 days on arrival due to stress – as did the manager of Bahrain Livestock Corporation’s feedlot.

NB   In Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Industry program plan 2005/06 – 2007/08 they state that a KPI under animal handling for 05/06 ‘animal handling in at least 80% feedlots in the Middle East rated as satisfactory.’

It is likely that approximately 4 million Australian sheep will be exported to the Middle East during this period.   The industry acknowledges that even if it reaches its KPI (Key Performance Indicator)  that 800,000 Australian animals (20%) will be handled and treated in an unacceptable manner.

In assessing this figure and the unacceptable nature of this projection, it should also be remembered that feedlots of importers are potentially where the Australian industry should have its greatest influence.    It should also be remembered that we have been exporting to this region for over 30 years.  During this time tens of millions of animals were exported, before cruel practices in importing countries were exposed, ‘motivating’ them into action to try to improve welfare.
And what of the animals that will then be on-sold from feedlots (whether in the 80% or 20% figure) where there is no ability to influence whatsoever the treatment that they will receive?

As the suspension of the trade to Egypt has proven – if your priority is to improve welfare in Middle Eastern countries, the quickest and most effective way to do so is to refuse to supply animals due to welfare concerns.   It brings the issue of animal welfare immediately to political prominence – and empowers the work of local animal welfare groups calling for change.