Brazil Bans Live Cow Exports in Groundbreaking Ruling Recognizing Animal Rights
Brazil's historic ban on live cattle exports has been celebrated by animal rights campaigners, signaling a major victory for animals and the fight against abusive practices.
Brazil made history last week by issuing a groundbreaking ruling that bans the export of live cows, in a move celebrated by animal rights campaigners. This decision comes as a result of a lawsuit filed in 2017 by the Brazilian nonprofit organization, the National Forum for the Protection and Defense of Animals, aiming to eliminate the practice of live exports.
“After a long procedural process, a historic sentence for the rights of animals was handed down, in which the suffering caused to animals is recognized, in an activity similar to human trafficking in the era of slavery,” the organization said in a statement on its website. “In the sentence, the judge recognizes the dignity of animals and understands that such activity is cruel and cannot be justified or tolerated under the auspices of possible commercial damage.”
The verdict, which is open to appeal, was issued by federal judge Djalma Gomes on Tuesday 9 May. Gomes wrote in the ruling that "Animals are not objects, they are living beings capable of feeling, including experiencing hunger, thirst, pain, cold, anguish, and fear."
A worker with an electric prod loads sheep onto trucks. Credit: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media
The news was further celebrated by other animal campaign organizations. “We welcome the verdict of the Brazilian court to ban live cattle exports from all ports,” James West, Senior Policy Manager at Compassion In World Farming, which campaigns against live exports, told Plant Based News (PBN). “We hope that the Government will not appeal this decision so that Brazil can end this cruel trade once and for all.”
According to Reuters, Carlos Favaro, the agriculture minister of Brazil, stated that a decision regarding an appeal of the verdict had not yet been reached by the Brazilian government.
The Cruelty of Live Exports
A general example of a live export ship that carries tens-of-thousands of live animals on voyages that can last weeks and weeks. Credit: Jo-Anne McArthur / Israel Against Live Shipments
The animal agriculture industry’s use of huge ships to transport farmed animals vast distances to other countries has long been condemned for failing to meet animal welfare standards.
Thousands of tightly-packed animals can be held on a single ship, where journey times can vary from hours to weeks at a time. Fatalities at sea are common and widespread, with the animals exposed to extreme heat, rough seas, and millions of liters of untreated waste.
Recent efforts to cease live exports extend beyond Brazil. In a similar stride, New Zealand bid farewell to its final live export ship just last month. The country’s involvement in the trade gained international attention after a massive live export vessel heading toward China tragically capsized in 2020. The devastating event resulted in the loss of more than 40 crew members and approximately 6,000 cows. In response, the New Zealand government took action, announcing the prohibition of live exports by sea by the end of April 2023.
The live export of animals has been overwhelmingly seen as cruel, and the practice has faced increasing pressure for it to be banned on a global scale. Luxembourg also recently banned the trade, while Germany announced it would end live exports to countries outside the European Union in a move seen as the first step in a potential push for an EU-wide ban.
It is estimated that around 2 billion live animals including pigs, chickens, and sheep are transported around the world every year, on journeys ranging from a few hours to over six weeks.
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