ABC News states that the federal Department of Agriculture has confirmed no livestock need to be offloaded for welfare reasons. Reportedly, Australia's chief veterinary officer Beth Cookson said that independent veterinary reports (the only vets experienced enough to really assess will have been industry vets) concluded no major signs of health or environmental concerns for the animals. Apparently, for a flock animal like sheep, an inspection of tens of thousands of animals in pens "provides additional confidence that the livestock are in good condition and have appropriate care and supervision." The department has apparently stated that the ship was being replenished with supplies ahead of its possible departure following discussions with the exporter.
One can only hope that the Dept isnt really going to let them go....but given that this is the same Dept that approved an Israeli ship go to Israel through an area subject to Houthi ship attacks, it is possible that "the regulator" who doesnt regulate (just capitulates), has indeed signed off on this. See: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-01/mv-bahijah-live-export-ship-berths-fremantle-to-offload-animals/103412828 LATEST UPDATE (see photo below): left port...to anchor? or to Haifa? No-one other than the Dept and the exporter would know ANSWER: to clean out decks and throw the dead overboard outside the Harbour limits
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After a day of sweltering heat (even Rottnest 43 degrees Celcius!), the Bahijah made its way into Freo Port in the early hours of this morning.
VALE has no info on what is happening other than the general Dept release: https://www.agriculture.gov.au/about/news/mv-bahijah-live-updates So, yes it does look like this export company wants to re-export some of these animals that have already been on a ship nearly 30 days (2 days of loading, 28 days at sea). Any new voyage will be a minimum of 5 weeks once it leaves port so that means any voyage total could be 70 days. This is totally unacceptable for animal welfare and the Government must act to stop this barbarism. The voyage of the Cormo Express one of Australia's worst live sheep export disasters was 79 days. This will go close. If biosecurity risk is such that they can unload some animals, then they can unload them all. Unload them all and stop them enduring any more - they have suffered enough. |
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