The RSPCA is renewing calls for a ban on slaughter practices that don’t use stunning for sheep and cattle if the Government does not move to reform current exemptions granted for religious reasons.
The RSPCA want legislative reforms to the exemptions granted by State governments ahead of a complete halt to slaughter practices not using stunning in both live export and domestic abattoirs…
A NSW abattoir the Hawkesbury region, which had its operations suspended earlier this year by the NSW Food Authority due to animal welfare concerns, was slaughtering sheep without stunning for local Halal and Kosher markets.
The RSPCA has written to Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig in the past month, urging him to address un-stunned religious slaughter and reform the current system…
~ COLIN BETTLES May 17 2012
Animal welfare breaches have been uncovered in all 10 of the New South Wales red meat abattoirs, a government review has found.
… mandatory animal welfare officers will be introduced from the start of next year in response to the findings of animal welfare breaches across the board in NSW…
The findings come as revelations that the Wilberforce abattoir which was the subject of an ABC Lateline expose´ in February this year, including shocking images of animal cruelty, was fined just $5,200 by the NSW Food Authority, a penalty animal rights groups have criticised as far too lenient.
Breaches identified by the review included incidents of ineffective stunning before slaughter, incompetency of slaughtering staff and the compromised welfare of livestock delivered to plants outside of business hours…
The opposition and the RSPCA have welcomed the measures but the Greens and Animals Australia said the package did not go far enough and mandatory CCTV equipment needed to be installed in all NSW abattoirs to ensure animals are treated humanely…
~ Kelly Burke with Richard Willingham May 18, 2012
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/animals/multiple-deficiencies-uncovered-in-nsw-abattoirs-20120517-1ytn0.html
Two Australian live cattle exporters have been found to have broken new animal welfare rules in Indonesia, imposed after a cruelty controversy last year.
In February Animals Australia – the group that uncovered cruelty to Australian cattle in Indonesia last May, prompting a trade suspension and strict welfare requirements on exporters – handed footage it shot of alleged abuse in abattoirs to the Agriculture Department…
An investigation found breaches occurred at two abattoirs that were part of “approved supply chains” which exporters must have independently audited to ensure animal welfare rules are met. ..
Investigators said cattle at one of the slaughterhouses were Australian, while at the other it was “highly likely” they were Australian…
RSPCA chief scientist Bidda Jones provided a report to the department in February that identified, from the video, dozens of breaches…
~ Richard Willingham May 18, 2012