1vegan
09-23-03, 05:24 AM
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,6119,2-10-1462_1420126,00.html
Sheep on ship 'gaining weight'
23/09/2003 07:57 - (SA)
Sydney - The owners of the so-called "ship of death" stranded at sea carrying more than 50 000 Australian sheep said the animals' health was improving on Tuesday, as fears mounted the crisis would permanently damage Australia's billion dollar livestock export industry.
Vroon BV, the Dutch owner of the MV Cormo Express, said the sheep had been supplied with extra food and water and were benefiting from better ventilation now the vessel was in open seas off the United Arab Emirates.
"They are in relatively good health at the moment, we have brought in extra food supplies, we have brought in extra water, there is maximum ventilation on board," Vroon spokesperson Cor Radings told reporters.
"We have brought in extra crew to look after the ship, so they're in a relatively good condition and even gaining weight."
Vroon last week said almost 4 000 of the sheep had died since the ship left the Australian port of Fremantle on August 5 and Radings would not update the death toll.
Need urgent solution
"We can stay it has steadied down a bit although in the long term we need an urgent solution to this problem," he said.
Saudi Arabia refused to admit the sheep five weeks ago on health grounds, alleging unacceptable levels of the disease scabby mouth, which an Australian vet travelling with the sheep disputes.
Since then, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan have also refused to accept the animals, leaving the ship steaming around the Persian Gulf in searing conditions.
Queensland state Primary Industries Minister Henry Palaszczuk said the fallout from the crisis could damage Australia's lucrative A$1.03bn-a-year livestock export industry.
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1419609,00.html
Aussie death ship sparks fury
22/09/2003 11:11 - (SA)
Bardot condemns 'ship of death'
Sydney - Calls mounted on Monday for more than 50 000 Australian sheep stranded at sea to be humanely put down, as the government said it was keeping the ship's location a secret to forestall vigilante action.
Animal welfare group Animals Australia offered its help to end the debacle, saying the sheep clearly now had no commercial value and destruction was the best of a bad range of options.
The live-trade industry and the government, however, have ruled out destruction.
Saudi Arabia refused to admit the sheep a month ago on health grounds, alleging unacceptable levels of scabby mouth disease, which Australian vets travelling with the sheep dispute.
About 4 000 of the sheep have died since they left the Western Australian port of Fremantle on August 5.
Since the Saudis refused to admit them, other governments have also rejected the shipment on the Dutch-owned MV Cormo Express.
Animals Australia executive director Glenys Oogjes said the governments were echoing the Saudi line that the sheep were diseased, regardless of the truth of the matter.
"These animals now have giveaway status. They now have no financial value," she said.
Mass slaughter too difficult
"Are we expected to naïvely believe they will be treated humanely even if an importing country is eventually found? Every extra day they spend at sea extends their suffering.
"These sheep are condemned to die, regardless. We challenge the government and industry to act now in the best interests of the animals."
Agriculture minister Warren Truss said a mass slaughter of the animals at sea would prove too difficult and the government's priority was negotiating a deal with another country.
The government was keeping the ship's location a secret due to fears animal activists might try to intercept it, he said.
Animal Liberation has offered an A$10 000 (about R48 500)reward for the exact location of the ship.
French film star and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot has also spoken out for the sheep, calling their plight sickening and unbearable in an open letter to Truss.
A former stockman aboard the vessel has said dead and dying sheep were routinely dropped down a nine-storey mincer, which squirted the remains out to sea.
The government denied reports that the sheep were running out of food.
Dispute about who owns the sheep
"The Australian government has been advised in writing in a report from the master of the Cormo Express that there is adequate fodder on board and arrangements are being made to take on more," said a spokesman for Truss.
Opposition leader Simon Crean jumped into the fray on Monday, accusing Truss of making excuses and called on Prime Minister John Howard to get personally involved, to pressure the Saudi Arabian authorities to accept the sheep.
The Dutch owners of the vessel, Vroon BV, say the ship left Fremantle on August 5 with nearly 58 000 head of sheep.
It has suggested it might be necessary to send the sheep back to Fremantle, but Australia says it no longer owns the sheep.
They are now the property of a Saudi importer and Australia was merely trying to find a place for them to land, a government spokesman insisted.
Sheep on ship 'gaining weight'
23/09/2003 07:57 - (SA)
Sydney - The owners of the so-called "ship of death" stranded at sea carrying more than 50 000 Australian sheep said the animals' health was improving on Tuesday, as fears mounted the crisis would permanently damage Australia's billion dollar livestock export industry.
Vroon BV, the Dutch owner of the MV Cormo Express, said the sheep had been supplied with extra food and water and were benefiting from better ventilation now the vessel was in open seas off the United Arab Emirates.
"They are in relatively good health at the moment, we have brought in extra food supplies, we have brought in extra water, there is maximum ventilation on board," Vroon spokesperson Cor Radings told reporters.
"We have brought in extra crew to look after the ship, so they're in a relatively good condition and even gaining weight."
Vroon last week said almost 4 000 of the sheep had died since the ship left the Australian port of Fremantle on August 5 and Radings would not update the death toll.
Need urgent solution
"We can stay it has steadied down a bit although in the long term we need an urgent solution to this problem," he said.
Saudi Arabia refused to admit the sheep five weeks ago on health grounds, alleging unacceptable levels of the disease scabby mouth, which an Australian vet travelling with the sheep disputes.
Since then, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan have also refused to accept the animals, leaving the ship steaming around the Persian Gulf in searing conditions.
Queensland state Primary Industries Minister Henry Palaszczuk said the fallout from the crisis could damage Australia's lucrative A$1.03bn-a-year livestock export industry.
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1419609,00.html
Aussie death ship sparks fury
22/09/2003 11:11 - (SA)
Bardot condemns 'ship of death'
Sydney - Calls mounted on Monday for more than 50 000 Australian sheep stranded at sea to be humanely put down, as the government said it was keeping the ship's location a secret to forestall vigilante action.
Animal welfare group Animals Australia offered its help to end the debacle, saying the sheep clearly now had no commercial value and destruction was the best of a bad range of options.
The live-trade industry and the government, however, have ruled out destruction.
Saudi Arabia refused to admit the sheep a month ago on health grounds, alleging unacceptable levels of scabby mouth disease, which Australian vets travelling with the sheep dispute.
About 4 000 of the sheep have died since they left the Western Australian port of Fremantle on August 5.
Since the Saudis refused to admit them, other governments have also rejected the shipment on the Dutch-owned MV Cormo Express.
Animals Australia executive director Glenys Oogjes said the governments were echoing the Saudi line that the sheep were diseased, regardless of the truth of the matter.
"These animals now have giveaway status. They now have no financial value," she said.
Mass slaughter too difficult
"Are we expected to naïvely believe they will be treated humanely even if an importing country is eventually found? Every extra day they spend at sea extends their suffering.
"These sheep are condemned to die, regardless. We challenge the government and industry to act now in the best interests of the animals."
Agriculture minister Warren Truss said a mass slaughter of the animals at sea would prove too difficult and the government's priority was negotiating a deal with another country.
The government was keeping the ship's location a secret due to fears animal activists might try to intercept it, he said.
Animal Liberation has offered an A$10 000 (about R48 500)reward for the exact location of the ship.
French film star and animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot has also spoken out for the sheep, calling their plight sickening and unbearable in an open letter to Truss.
A former stockman aboard the vessel has said dead and dying sheep were routinely dropped down a nine-storey mincer, which squirted the remains out to sea.
The government denied reports that the sheep were running out of food.
Dispute about who owns the sheep
"The Australian government has been advised in writing in a report from the master of the Cormo Express that there is adequate fodder on board and arrangements are being made to take on more," said a spokesman for Truss.
Opposition leader Simon Crean jumped into the fray on Monday, accusing Truss of making excuses and called on Prime Minister John Howard to get personally involved, to pressure the Saudi Arabian authorities to accept the sheep.
The Dutch owners of the vessel, Vroon BV, say the ship left Fremantle on August 5 with nearly 58 000 head of sheep.
It has suggested it might be necessary to send the sheep back to Fremantle, but Australia says it no longer owns the sheep.
They are now the property of a Saudi importer and Australia was merely trying to find a place for them to land, a government spokesman insisted.