NSPCA reiterates stance on transport of animals by seas after livestock ship docks in Cape Town

Source: EWN Traffic
Author: Lauren Isaacs

CAPE TOWN - The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) has reiterated its firm stance against the live export of animals by sea.

Its teams have been onboard a live export vessel called the "Al Kuwait" since Sunday night after it docked at Cape Town Harbour carrying about 19,000 cattle.

The livestock carrier travelled from Brazil and was destined for Iraq but stopped in Cape Town to load food for the animals onboard.

Following investigations on Monday, some of the animals had to be euthanised due to injuries or to relieve them from suffering.

A foul smell emanating from the vessel hung over large parts of the Cape Town CBD and surrounding areas on Monday.

The NSPCA said that the smell was indicative of the awful conditions the animals had to endure, having already spent two-and-a-half weeks on board, with a build-up of faeces and ammonia.

The organisation's Grace de Lange: "We are saying if you want to transport meat, we are 100% fine with that if they get slaughtered humanely in SA and the meat is transported but for us, these animals do not have to endure going through all of this."

The NSPCA has approached the courts on numerous occasions since 2019 in a bid to put an end to the transportation of live animals by sea.