PETA Chief says Rudd Regime Offers New Opportunity to Ban Mulesing, Live Exports

Wool Industry's Intransigence on Atrocities to Lambs and Sheep Call for Action by New PM, Says Group

Canberra - This morning, PETA President Ingrid E Newkirk sent a letter to newly elected Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd urging him to consider no longer issuing permits to the wool industry for live-sheep exports. Newkirk is also asking Rudd to discuss with state government officials how they can ban live-sheep exports and mulesing. Newkirk points out that the wool industry is already back-pedalling on its publicised "commitment" to ban mulesing by 2010 - just as PETA predicted it would. The wool industry hasn't even addressed the atrocities committed against millions of sheep during and after export to countries where they are abused and killed in ways that would be illegal in Australia.

Mulesing is a painful procedure in which shears are used to cut huge chunks of skin and flesh from lambs' backsides - without any painkillers. It is a crude and cheap effort to reduce maggot infestation, even though humane methods exist. Every year, millions of Australian sheep who are discarded by the wool industry are shipped to the Middle East and North Africa. They are crammed onto "death ships" where they suffer amid the waste of thousands of other animals for weeks on end. Tens of thousands of animals die en route from smothering, starvation, heatstroke, injuries and disease.

"Australia's atrocities against sheep are a national disgrace - one that Mr Rudd must now face", says Newkirk. "A ban on mulesing and live export would be a win-win for both Mr Rudd and for sheep: markets currently closed by the boycott of Australian wool would open up, and jobs would soar for Australian meat-industry workers."