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Australia Stops Exporting Animals to Egypt

The Australian government has suspended live animal exports to Egypt, following reports of horrific conditions in an Egyptian slaughterhouse.

The Australian Federal Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran halted the export of livestock to Egypt, pending the outcome of an investigation by Egyptian and international animal welfare organizations.

Disturbing footage obtained by these organizations from the Bassatin slaughterhouse in Cairo shows animals being beaten and their throats slashed without being pre-stunned. It was broadcast on 60 Minutes on Australian television.

The minister is waiting for a response to the allegations from the Egyptian authorities.

Kerry Burgess, spokeswoman for the UK-based Compassion in World Farming which assisted with the investigation, told The Media Line that the world animal health organization, the OIE, established global standards for farm animal transport and slaughter in May 2005, but said “it’s clear from our investigations that these standards haven’t been adopted uniformly by all countries.”

The organization explained the action comes after years of campaigning against the plight of cattle and sheep, which endure cramped and stressful journeys across the world from Australia to the Middle East for slaughter. The slaughterhouse practices in Egypt are among the worst in the world and are not permitted in Australia, the organization said.

They are urging for an end to live animal exports from Australia to the Middle East completely. Instead, they are proposing to kill the animals in Australia, where their welfare can be assured, and then export the meat.

The Bassatin slaughterhouse also receives animals from other countries such as Hungary and Romania.

Meanwhile, Egyptian animal welfare organizations are also campaigning for Cairo to establish and enforce legislation to protect the welfare of animals.

The report raises questions regarding whether these practices constitute halal slaughter, a method of killing the animal which makes the meat permissible for Muslims to eat.

“When we exposed the practices in the Egyptian slaughterhouse we had some Muslim scholars from the Al-Azhar University in Egypt who were outraged that animals should be treated in such a way,” Burgess said. She said in their opinion this was not legitimate halal slaughter at all.

Hear The Media Line’s interview with Kerry Burgess [2].