New Zealand Farmer Takes A Stand

New Zealand farmer Brett Sanger decided to look into the live export industry after the Gulf Livestock 1 capsized, and he didn't like what he saw. Mr Sanger isn't an activist, and he says it's out of character for him to speak to the media, but here is what he has to say about animal welfare in the live export trade, as reported by Stuff NZ:

“You start seeing some fairly appalling images of what’s happened on other ships and on reflection you think, do I really want to be doing this?”...

“We have welfare standards in New Zealand which are probably the highest in the world, or probably up there with the highest in the world, and we’re sending them to another country which has virtually none.”...

"It could possibly cost me a bit but there are other options; you can graze them on yourself longer and different markets open up at different times.

"I saw somebody the other day, saying: 'We're sending our cows, but would you send your companion animals? Would you send your horse? Your dog? What's the difference?'."

The live export of cattle has been temporarily suspended after the government decided it too should look into the trade. Its review, expected to take about a month, will evaluate the export approval process but will not consider the fate of animals going to countries with lower animal welfare standards.