New Zealand Bans the Export of Live Animals
The controversial industry transports thousands of live farmed animals to other countries via long journeys on huge ships, where crowded, unsanitary, and distressing conditions cause immense suffering for animals.
A worker with an electric prod loads sheep onto trucks. Credit: Jo-Anne McArthur / We Animals Media
A ban on the controversial practise of exporting live farmed animals by sea has been introduced in New Zealand, the country’s government announced.
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.
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
But there’s also concern for human safety standards aboard live export ships too.
New Zealand’s involvement in the trade was catapulted into the world spotlight when a huge live export ship bound for China capsized in 2020. The disaster claimed the lives of over 40 crew members and around 6,000 cows.
The tragic incident informed a review into New Zealand’s role in the live export sector, which concluded with the government’s decision to ban live exports by sea by the end of April 2023.
Now, the country’s last live export ship has set sail on the 21st April, marking the end of live exports in New Zealand.
“Our position on the map means that the journey to northern hemisphere markets will always be a long one and this brings unavoidable animal welfare challenges,” said Agriculture Minister Damien O'Connor.
In a statement, O’Connor explained that the move to ban live exports and support animal welfare was in part motivated by an evolving marketplace, where consumers are becoming more and more discerning about ethical and environmental credentials.
“Recent talk of restarting live exports by sea simply ignores the reality that our consumers overseas take issues of sustainability, climate and animal welfare seriously, which is why they’re reflected in our recent FTAs”, O’Connor explained, describing how New Zealand’s recent global trade partners have placed an emphasis on animal welfare standards.
The live export of animals has been overwhelmingly seen as cruel, and the practise 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.
Credit: Jo-Anne McArthur / Israel Against Live Shipments / We Animals Media
“As global consumer trends change, we must change alongside them or risk being left behind,” summarized O’Connor.
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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