Animal welfare advocates urge South Africa to ban live animal exports by sea
Smadar Spector
Animal welfare advocates urge South Africa to ban live animal exports by sea
In a significant move advocating for improved animal welfare standards, leading animal protection organisations from Australia and New Zealand have joined forces to urge the South African government to ban live animal exports by sea. This call comes in the wake of South Africa’s draft Regulations for the Exportation of Live Animals by Sea, which are currently open for public comment.
The push for reform follows Australia’s historic initiative to phase out live sheep exports by sea by May 1, 2028. An Independent Panel presented a comprehensive report in October 2023 after conducting an extensive six-month inquiry, which drew over 4,100 public submissions. Meanwhile, New Zealand has led the way by implementing a total ban on live exports by sea since May 2023.