UAE | General

Rock star wants end to 'cruel' export of sheep

Rock star Chrissie Hynde has called on UAE residents not to eat Australian meat in protest at the "cruel" live exports of sheep. She said the meat is not halal since animals are left in poor condition.

  • By Daniel Bardsley, Staff Reporter
  • Published: 00:00 February 11, 2007
  • Gulf News

  • Rock star Hynde says that people who eat meat should ask where it comes from - and refuse it if it is Australian.
  • Image Credit: Megan Hirons/Gulf News
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Dubai: Rock star Chrissie Hynde has called on UAE residents not to eat Australian meat in protest at the "cruel" live exports of sheep.

The Pretenders singer handed out leaflets that said animals were "confined amid their own waste for weeks on disease-ridden ships" that travel from Australia to the Middle East.

Hynde, holding a banner that read Australia: Stop Your Ships of Death, told Gulf News that people who eat meat should ask where it comes from - and refuse it if it is Australian.

"When the Australian wool industry has no more use for these sheep they dump them by sending them here on ships that can hold 100,000 of them.

"It's a long, long journey and they bring them in live so that the meat is fresh. Probably no one here has any idea they are buying meat from Australia," she said.

Hynde protested yesterday afternoon following a concert at the Irish Village in Dubai the previous evening during which she also raised the issue of live exports.

She said because the animals arrived in the Middle East in poor condition, their meat was not halal.

"We are pressuring the Australians but we need the public here to be aware so when they visit the butcher they ask: 'Does it come from Australia?' They should ask for something that is bred here," she said.

The 55-year-old rocker, whose band had hits with Back on the Chain Gang and Brass in Pocket, also protested about the live export of sheep during the Australian leg of her world tour.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals [Peta], which organised the protest beside Dubai Creek, said the UAE imports about 230,00 sheep from Australia annually, with the journey taking at least a week and often much longer.

An official at the Ministry of Environment and Water declined to comment.

With additional inputs from Emmanuelle Landais, Staff Reporter

Have your say
Do you think that Peta's protest over the "cruel" live export of sheep is justified? Has it influenced you to avoid eating meat from Australia? Should something be done to improve live sheep exports? If so, what do you suggest?


Your comments


Unfortunately Peta have their blindfolds on again ... If it wasn't absolutely necessary for the sheep to be imported live here so that they can be slaughtered in the Halal way, Australia would much prefer to slaughter them there and send them here frozen! It is our requirement to have them exported live, not theirs.
Michael
Dubai,UAE

Good for Chrissie - a rock star with a conscience. Australia should discontinue the live animal export trade on ethical and compassionate grounds alone. However, discontinuing the trade would also benefit Australian abattoirs; many Australian abattoirs have 'Halal' certification and would welcome the chance to re-build the chilled carcass trade that has been decimated by the live animal export trade. It would also restore many other rural jobs that have been lost; approximately twice as many jobs have disappeared from closed Australian abattoirs and associated businesses as have supposedly been 'created' by the live export industry.
SE
Dubai,UAE

Chrissie is doing a noble job. I would like to add to the Peta agenda that the proper slaughtering of animals, on Islamic principles, is also scientifically proven as the safest for human consumption.
Nasir
Dubai,UAE

The UAE imports 230,000 sheep annually with a long journey from Australia without inspection and treatment would affect the people in UAE. The concerned authorities in the UAE must investigate the case carefully before distributing it to the people.
Abdulla
Fujairah,UAE

The Australian sheep farmers are struggling with a crippling drought which has been ongoing for at least three years, so they will do what they have to do in order to make a living.
Georgia
Dubai,UAE

It is unfortunate that these animals are ill-treated. I will definitely not eat meat imported from Australia.
Samir
Abu Dhabi,UAE

Peta is doing Muslims a favour. I urge the residents of the UAE to say no to imported Australian meat.
Syed
Jeddah,Saudi Arabia

I am shocked at what the West would do to earn that extra dollar.
Ramy
Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia

In the region, we really need this kind of awareness of what these animals go through, and whether their meat is worthy to eat or not.
Hashim
Muscat,Oman

Do they really have the right to tell people what to eat and what not to eat?
Ibrahim
Hyderabad,India

I totally agree with Chrissie Hynde. These animals are packed like sardines, some of them die during their long journey and they are dumped into the sea. It is a pity, the way these helpless animals are cruelly transported.
Vincent
Dubai,UAE

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