Israeli animal rights groups Let the Animals Live and Animals Now have filed legal proceedings in the Central Region District Court against the Veterinary Services in the Ministry of Agriculture in Israel.
The Petition is seeking an injunction in relation to an import permit for the animals on board the MV Bahijah, which would prevent the sheep and cattle being imported into Israel.
Background:
The MV Bahijah, owned and operated by Israeli company Dabbah Livestock left Fremantle, Australia on January 5th with 12,000 sheep and 2,000 cattle on board. The shipment departed despite many commercial shipping companies halting shipping through the Red Sea due to attacks on vessels.
Escalating attacks then saw the shipment divert from its route and head towards South Africa before being ordered back to Australia by the Australian government.
This failed shipment, which arrived back in Australia 3 days ago, has seen the sheep and cattle onboard subjected unnecessarily to 28 days at sea.
Animal protection groups in Australia have been calling for the animals to now be unloaded and processed in Australia, deeming the infliction of further shipping and suffering as callous, inhumane and unacceptable.
Rather than allow this to occur, Dabbah Livestock has applied for a further export permit for these animals from the Australian government, with the intention of shipping these same animals once again, either via the Red Sea to Israel or via the western coast of Africa.
Were this to occur, these animals would be onboard a live export vessel in stressful conditions for over 2 months. This is completely unacceptable and contrary to international animal welfare guidelines of which Israel is a signatory.
The following quotes can be attributed to Erez Wohl, Legal Advocate, Let Animals Live
“These animals have suffered enough because of poor decisions made. To subject these animals to the further stress of weeks at sea enroute to Israel would equate to sanctioned cruelty.”
“There is overwhelming scientific evidence that animals on this vessel will be impacted by the cumulative stress, making them more suspectable to sickness and disease.
“These sheep and cattle have endured extreme heat and been living in their own waste in crowded conditions on a rolling ship, all because commercial interests have been placed before their welfare.
“We have taken this unprecedented legal action as it is a moral imperative that this import permit not be granted to prevent Israel being a party to grievous animal cruelty.”
