Welcome to Animals' Angels Australia
Welcome to the website of respected international animal rights organisation ANIMALS' ANGELS which was founded in 1998.
ANIMALS' ANGELS has established permanent ‘investigation teams’ that regularly carry out on-site investigations into places where animals are held, including transport vehicles, slaughterhouses, ports, border control stations and livestock markets across Europe and Australia. The investigation results are documented in reports and supported by photos and video footage; these are then submitted to the relevant authorities in order to enforce legislation or to seek further protective legislative measures.
With our motto - “we are there with the animals” – always in mind, the day-to-day work of ANIMALS' ANGELS is based on the conviction that the cruel treatment of animals is contradictory to the perceived set of values of developed nations together with our own five basic ethical beliefs of compassion, commitment, confidence, cooperation and courage. Together, they have formed an essential part of the secret behind the effectiveness and success of ANIMALS' ANGELS.
Follow the link: Investigations or click on the Investigations tab in the menu to read about our latest visit to the port where we observe 'export' vessels load live animals intended for overseas slaughter or, our visits to saleyards around Australia.
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Our Animals' Angels team completed two investigations into saleyards in Victoria. There were many serious animal welfare issues at one particular facility and we have raised these matters with the appropriate department in the State Government: Bureau of Animal Welfare, Department of Primary Industries. We have been assured the Bureau have taken our report and formal complaints seriously and will urge improvement within the yard.
Some yards viewed animal welfare as a main concern; the animals were under cover and penned on soft ground and provided with fresh water, yards were in good repair with adequate and visible signage. Handling was acceptable and transports professional. However we also documented a range of issues at other yards including:
- failure to supervise the treatment, handling and loading of animals,
- vendors forcing sheep to jump from the tray of utilty vehicles,
- sunburnt cows (photosensitisation)
- cattle with broken and bleeding horns
- the dragging of animals by back legs,
- the overuse and inappropriate use of electrical shock prodders on cattle
- the continual use of electrical shock prodders on sheep when loading (use contravenes OIE)
- poor maintenance of facilities,
- buyers hitting and or rough treatment of calves whilst in view of a sign prohibiting this behaviour
- unacceptable transports
- unclean water in troughs and dogs in water troughs
- inadequate numbers of troughs in pens
- too many animals in sale and holding pens
- buyers failing to ensure non-slip flooring in trailers
- delays in attending to unfit animals
- questionable emergency killing techniques
- forcing sheep suffering serious conditions to be moved from pen to pen and
- allowing unfit animals to be sold and transported.
Udder full of and dripping milk
Too many sheep in the pen
Unmuzzled dog running over sheep
Very thin cattle
Suffering photosensitisation
Dangerous holes in the ground
Dragging a pig by his back legs
Sheep fallling onto his head and neck off the back of a utilty
News update:
Vic saleyards under scrutiny
International animal rights organisation Animals Angels submitted a damning report to the State Government that included photos, video footage and a detailed veterinarian report after visiting western Victorian saleyards last month.
The report revealed "unacceptable flooring" among the issues as well as sheep being unloaded from a trailer and ute without the use of a ramp, causing sheep to land on their heads and necks.
Animal welfare groups are now targeting post-sale feeding of livestock, water quality and the unloading of stock from vehicles after witnessing dogs swimming in water troughs and unfed livestock.
Last week, the Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association (ALPA) issued a warning for all members to review their animal welfare standards as a matter of urgency.
The agents association also reminded members that saleyards were "public places and activists have right of and need to be treated with respect".
ALPA Victoria/Tasmania State management committee member Rob Bolton said one of the main issues was livestock being received at saleyards that should never have been loaded for sale in the first place.
"There's good awareness at the saleyard level; everyone who works directly at the saleyards, from management, employees, agents and carriers," Mr Bolton said.
"There is more work being done in the saleyard system than people realise but the hard thing is there are livestock that slip through the cracks and end up in yards that should never be there."
Mr Bolton said more education at the producer level was needed to increase awareness about livestock that were "fit to load and fit for human consumption" and were therefore fit for sale.
"A lot of livestock that end up in saleyards haven't been seen by an agent," he said.
Mr Bolton said the receipt of unfit stock could only be stopped by educating producers and making a stand at the saleyard level.
Victorian Livestock Exchange managing director Graham Osborne said destroying unfit animals was the only way to get the message across.
"It's a blunt tool of education but it seems to work," he said. "The message will get out there; the financial penalty seems to have an effect."
Some saleyards are now looking at increasing fees for destroying unfit stock, including the Bendigo yards, which are looking at increasing their fee from $50 to $100 a head.
ALPA has called for members to review their policy on post-sale feeding and while livestock become the responsibility of the buyer on the fall of the hammer, a chain of responsibility comes into play.
"Animal welfare is a national issue and it is everybody's responsibility," Mr Bolton said.
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