New Zealand bans animal exports

EDITORIAL: A review into the controversial practice of live animal exports was already underway when the Gulf Livestock 1​ sank in the East China Sea seven months ago. When the ship sailed from Napier three weeks earlier, there were 43 people on board and a cargo of 5867 cattle, destined for China, which has been the destination of all our live cattle exports since 2017. The horrifying impression of nearly 6000 helpless, drowned animals had a huge emotional impact back in New Zealand. As one commentator put it, “The images of bloated dead cows floating in a turquoise sea are desperately sad”. Only two people survived and the New Zealanders aboard were not found. Exports of live sheep for slaughter were banned in 2003 after the distressing story of the Cormo Express​ when more than 57,000 Australian sheep were rejected by Saudi Arabia due to alleged infections, leading to the death of 6000 sheep onboard before the rest were eventually dumped in Eritrea. Cattle were added to the ban ...