Animal Welfare – Second live export ship arriving this week in Napier

The livestock carrier Dareen is due to collect approximately 7,300 cows from Napier tomorrow, following the Yangtze Harmony which collected a consignment of cows from Port Taranaki yesterday.

The ships arrive in the wake of an investigation launched by Australian Federal agencies into the inhumane slaughter of Australian cattle in Indonesia.

SAFE Campaigns Manager Marianne Macdonald is asking what assurances Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor can give that the same thing isn’t happening to New Zealand-sourced animals going to China.

“Tens of thousands of cows have been exported from New Zealand to destination countries with no laws protecting the way they are treated once there.”

“We’re particularly concerned over the methods that will be used when they are slaughtered. They will likely still be conscious when their throats are cut.”

Macdonald says there is no way we can stop the suffering of animals once they arrive in their destination countries.

“The Minister will not be releasing his review into live export until after the election. Given the growing body of international evidence of the cruelty associated with live export, it’s clear that the trade must be banned.” 

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– Live export video (with text and music) showing slaughter methods used for exported cattle in some countries.

– The live export of cattle, sheep, goats and deer for slaughter was banned in 2003. However, it is still legal to export these animals for breeding purposes.

– Animals exported for breeding purposes and their young will eventually be slaughtered, potentially by means too cruel to be legal in New Zealand.

– The Government has been reviewing the live-export trade since June 2019. Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has expressed his preference for a conditional ban on cattle exports.