Dear Editor: The horrific cruelty that recently aired on ABC’s “Four Corners”—including cattle being beaten, having their throats hacked, and their eyes gouged out in Indonesian abattoirs—is, sadly, business as usual in the live-export industry.

Multiple investigations by PETA, Animals Australia, and other organisations have revealed rampant cruelty at every step of the live export process. For example, sheep who are discarded by the wool industry and who have already suffered the misery of mulesing—in which huge chunks of flesh are carved off their backsides, usually without any pain relief—are forced to endure hellish, weeks-long voyages to slaughter on extremely crowded, disease-ridden ships. Many sheep succumb to illness, starve to death, or are trampled. Survivors are often dragged from the ships at their destination and thrown into the backs of trucks and cars. At slaughter, most will have their throats cut while they are still conscious.

Banning live exports to some slaughterhouses in Indonesia is a start, but animals will continue to suffer as long as any live export remains legal. It’s time for Australia to ban this cruel practice entirely.

Sincerely,
Jason Baker
Director of Campaigns
PETA Australia