Monday, July 28, 2008

Live export of Australian sheep/ Kill Pixie.

YEN magazine today attracted my attention to the live exporting of Australian sheep to the Middle East so they can be slaughtered the 'Halal' way. I have read about this before but reading about it again is a reminder of how Australian sheep are being mistreated. The sheep endure horrendous conditions on the weeks it takes for them to be transported overseas and thousands of them die on the journey due to heat exhaustion and disease to name a few. Not only that, but the sheep are also inhumanely treated when they arrive in the Middle East and it is ridiculous that the Australian Government is pouring millions into exporting live sheep over there to be treated like they have no feelings, no thoughts..as if they aren't even living. It is disgusting to know that although we have Halal slaughterers here who have to follow guidelines on how animals can be treated here, once the animals arrive overseas the laws aren't the same and the animals are handled and abused in horrific ways before and during their slaughter. Usually I rather not read these sort of stories about animal cruelty because it upsets me (especially with the stories of the dancing bears) but this one keeps popping up and I find it distressing.
What the hell is wrong with the Australian Government that they can allow something like this to happen? A better alternative is to slaughter the animals (the Halal way) within the guidelines that the laws here have set out to avoid the mistreatment and stress of the animals, resulting in the preparation of food here where it is frozen and sent to the Middle East. They deserve a death within legal regulations and as humanely as possible.
It is also disgusting to hear that our beautiful Australian sheep are being treated this way :( To help you can sign a petition on the following website that will address this disgusting trade to Kevin Rudd. This story almost makes me want to turn vegetarian.

www.handlewithcare.org


On a lighter note, I recently have visited Oxford Art Factory (surprise, surprise!) to see a large mural by artist Kill Pixie who recently has been getting quite a lot of attention with his work being shown in China Heights Gallery and mentioned in YEN magazine just to name a few. I am a fan of his contemporary art as he experiments with interesting concepts and figures.


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