| January
26 2005
AACTivists
denounce lies from live export agent Roberts with a protest at Roberts
Real Estate at Devonport - 11.00 am on Saturday, February 28
Against Animal
Cruelty Tasmania is outraged that Roberts and the Tasmanian Farmers and
Graziers’ Association claimed two months ago that there was no market
for the sheep to be sent to the Middle East early next month, when an
advertisement appeared in TasCountry last week appealing for “mutton
sheep” for both the Longford and Devonport abattoirs, and advertising
“downstream processing” opportunities. Live Export Campaign
Co-ordinator Suzanne Cass said:
‘Roberts instigated
a media event a couple of months ago, claiming that there was no market
for these sheep in Tasmania, or indeed Australia. Now we have the two
major processors seeking animals for slaughter for “EU, US and
Middle East markets – along with promoting “downstream processing”.
Roberts has created a ‘minefield’ for itself, where they
should have been honest from the beginning”.
AACT has collected seven pages
of signatures from members of the public asking Roberts to end its live
export activities on the grounds of the inherent and egregious cruelty
of the trade.
“We will present all
these signatures at Roberts’ Devonport Real Estate Office in Devonport
on Saturday at 11.00a.m.”, Ms Cass continued. “These are
people who deplore the cruel live export trade, and have committed not
to use Robert’ products and services until such time as Roberts
ends its involvement in this industry. We have just started the petition,
and it is seven pages already and growing daily. Since greed is clearly
the only motive for this shipment, perhaps an impact on Roberts’
“bottom line”will have an effect”.
AACT claims that Tasmanian
farmers may have been paid a small premium for their sheep, the real money
is being made in the importing countries in the Middle East, where processors
can sell one animal for as much as AUD250.00
“All along, there has
been a ready market here in Tasmania, and the opportunity cost of this
shipment is Tasmanian jobs. Instead, these animals are facing a shocking
journey, and appalling cruelty when they reach their destinations, and
it is totally unconscionable that this shipment is to go ahead”,
Ms Cass concluded.
For further information,
please contact Suzanne on 0414 726935
AACT gratefully
acknowledges the support of Voiceless – the fund for animals –
in its live export campaign.
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