Actions speak louder than words - here’s your chance to TAKE ACTION against LIVE EXPORT here in SA
October 1st, 2008
South Australians always seem to come to the fore when the RSPCA needs help. Responding to blanket appeals, giving Christmas donations, attending fundraising events. Knowing that people genuinely want to help the RSPCA’s animals is amazing.
South Australia, we’re calling on you again. This time it’s a big ask, millions of animals are suffering and we can stop it. In Australia, over 4 million sheep and 618,000 cattle are suffering through, or dying because of, long distance transport.
It’s not a nice thing to talk about.. but that’s exactly what we’re doing.
The Handle With Care coalition is a group of animal welfare organisations from around the world committed to stopping the atrocities of live export. To do this we must educate, debate and take mass action.
Following two highly successful Handle With Care forums in Brisbane and Melbourne, the RSPCA have decided it is time South Australians had an opportunity to discuss and debate the issue of live export, and explore how to take action. Together we can stop this horrific, archaic practice.
The Forum will be held on October 8 to coincide with RSPCA awareness week.
It will take place at Way Hall, Pitt St, Adelaide starting from 6:30pm and running until about 8pm.
A panel consisting of four experts including Animals Australia crusader Glenys Oogles, and RSPCA stalwart Hugh Wirth.
There will be a video presentation highlighting the atrocities of the trade. This will include the infamous Animals Australia footage taken in the Middle East and shown, in part on 60 minutes and a number of ABC programs.
Myths will be exposed, facts will be presented and you will have the opportunity to voice your opinion.
Hugh Wirth will give and inspiring, indepth run down on how you can take action.
It’s time to take action SA, not words, actions… Choose, for an hour and a half, to make a difference.
For more information on Handle With Care and Live Export go to www.handlewithcare.tv
Please RSVP to the RSPCA on 8212 6871
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5 Comments Add your own
1. Ruth Franck | October 2nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Live exports contradicts “live” as the animals are packed into appalling conditions and might as well be dead and then meet a horrible end when the journey ceases.
Could the RSPCA compose a letter to the Prime Minister and the ministers for farming, environment etc on the email which we could put our name and address on it print it out and post the letters to the relevant people. If the politians get thousands of letters it might make a difference.
2. Simon Cook | October 5th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
It’s good to see different animal advocate groups join forces to campaign against the cruelty of live animal exports. I think such coalitions are necessary when trying to protect animals from powerful multi-million dollar industries.
From my observations over the past 10 years, the only single organisation acting alone that had enough clout to achieve a real breakthrough in animal welfare within the powerful farming sector was PETA. Although their campaign to have sheep protected from fly-strike without resorting to mulesing is not yet complete, it is well on the way (what a shame that some people within the animal welfare movement focused their attacks onto PETA rather than providing them with support – I’m not a member of PETA and never have been, but I can recognise a promising breakthrough for animals when I see one).
With regards to letter writing as suggested by Ruth, given the ease at which letters can be written it is always worth doing to show politicians that there is large public support for ending animal cruelty. However it is important to understand that politicians, from their own admissions, have been receiving thousands of such letters for decades. In fact, in 1985 a Senate Committee reported that on animal welfare grounds alone, the live animal export trade should be stopped.
Despite this the suffering of animals has continued as the overriding factor in such decisions is money and the reluctance of politicians to cross the powerful industries that make it. To date, the moral issue of animal suffering has carried little weight with politicians.
Ultimately PETA achieved a result as it was able to demonstrate to the industry that there were economic consequences should the industry fail to seriously address the mulesing issue. To achieve a result on live exports, this coalition will need to show politicians that there is a political consequence of failing to ban live exports. Of course this is no easy task, but it is very good to see that groups have come together in order to work towards such a goal.
3. Simon Cook | October 8th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Well done to the RSPCA for holding this session and to all groups involved in Handle With Care. I’m glad I attended and summarised the following information:
1. The farmers who attended were shocked by the footage of how cruelly their sheep were treated. Despite this, their bottom line is they will continue to sell sheep to the live export trade as they are paid about $10 per sheep extra to do so.
2. Despite everyone being sickened by the cruelty shown, no-one wanted farmers to go broke.
3. Another economic issue was raised by the Liberal politician who attended. He said that while the trade was very unpopular with the public and he would like to ban it, what needed to be worked out was how to replace the jobs lost if the trade stopped. [Actually, the politician went further and said it was Liberal policy to ban live animal exports over time, but this is definitely not the case and he had no timetable to back up such a claim].
4. A person knowledgeable of the abattoir industry who attended spoke on how thousands of abattoir jobs had been lost as a result of sheep being sent overseas for slaughter. Many new abattoir jobs would be created if sheep were slaughtered here.
5. A panel member spoke on how the chilled carcass export trade was worth far more than the live export trade. There are also other forms of meat export. From the Dept of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry website, the 2005 statistics are – “In 2005 the total value of processed meat exports was over $5.9 billion (compared to around $700 million for live exports)”
The good news from all these factors is that there is clearly a possible solution to stop live export cruelty that would be able to encompass the economics of compensating farmers and creating new jobs for workers affected by such a ban.
The very bad news is that all of the above factors have been well known for a very long time, yet no plan has ever been put in place to actually do the possible and end this cruelty.
The stumbling blocks are:
1. The politicians are not serious about animal suffering and will not lead on this issue.
2. The Farmers Federation will not come to the table to start negotiating a ban and they are powerful political force in stopping the politicians from leading.
The farmers that care about their animals are the best people able to influence Farmers Federation policy – it is their representative group. If they don’t, perhaps groups like PETA may again become involved as footage of Australia’s treatment of animals travels around the world.
The rest of us need to lobby the politicians harder and try to help them understand the moral issue of animal suffering and the political consequences of ignoring this. While some politicians simply will not care, I always remember the comment from a friend who went to visit such a politician on a different issue – they told her that “the first thing you learn as a politician is how to count” – i.e. all politicians are acutely aware of issues that could affect their election chances.
4. Kathy McInnes | November 24th, 2008 at 8:34 am
I happily voted for Labor at the last election, but if they do not suppport & take legislative steps to ban the live export of animals then they won’t get my vote next time. If any party decides to champion this issue then they get my vote otherwise for the first time in 40 years of voting I will vote informal so no-one gets my vote.
5. kiki | June 20th, 2009 at 7:15 am
good on ya!
i think what ur doing is great. and have myself saved a dog hes a great big fluff ball (although he looks scary) and is so sweet and loving he got along with my other dog right away and there very close now im thinking about rescuing cat as well just dont know if ill get around to it in time im thinking about voulneteering i just dont know the age limit 18 ? anyway
thanl you for what ur doing for animals for i happen to adore many animals and love how ur helping them
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