Aussie sheep dock in Kuwait
Ship with stranded Aussie sheep docks in Kuwait
A ship loaded with thousands of Australian sheep docked to Kuwait yesterday.
The ship had been stranded at sea for over a month after Saudi Arabia, the initial destination of the ship, refused to accept the controversial cargo, insisting “scabby mouth” disease levels were above permitted levels.
International vets have claimed the disease is minor and the sheep are fit for human consumption.
The Dutch-owned ship, the Cormo Express, is carrying more than 50,000 Australian sheep.
4,000 sheep have died during the voyage, drawing protests from animal rights groups.
Australian Agriculture Minister Warren Truss has suggested the sheep may be donated to Iraq or brought back to home.
But Australia’s former chief veterinary officer warned the Federal Government that bringing home the sheep would breach quarantine policies which have safeguarded Australia from an animal disease outbreak for half a century.
But Dr Gee said the sheep were likely to have been exposed to diseases found in the Middle East.
Dr Gee said: “To have those sheep come back into an Australian point-port is absolutely dicing with death, because as soon as they get into a port, they’re likely to be attacked by Australian insects which would then have the chance of transmitting really serious diseases to Australian livestock,” he said.
