Merely two weeks ago, the NSPCA expressed its concern regarding two vessels, the Karim Allah and the Elbeik, that were carrying over 2000 cattle aimlessly across the Mediterranean sea since mid-December 2020. Both vessels failed to find buyers on account of there being suspicion that the cattle were infected with a bovine disease called ‘bluetongue’.
Earlier this month, all the cattle on board the Karim Allah were humanely euthanized upon arrival at Cartagena, Spain after Spanish Authorities found the animals to be in a generally poor condition. Before the animals were euthanized, blood samples were taken to test for the disease, and had the results come back negative the vessel’s management company would have preferred the animals be reloaded and shipped for export again. Thankfully, this option was denied by Spain’s agriculture ministry.
The NSPCA is appalled that the Elbeik has allowed, what reports state to be, almost 180 bulls to die at sea. This is even more disgusting considering the events of the Karim Allah taking place just two weeks ago, which surely should have encouraged the Elbeik to dock and offload the cattle before getting to this point.
The Elbeik has now also been ordered to dock in Cartagena, Spain where these animals are likely to be slaughtered after having been subjected to almost three months of hell at sea.
“It is absolutely shameful to learn that similarly to the Karim Allah, reports state the Elbeik hoped to conduct blood tests on the animals and have them back at sea to find a buyer to the north of Africa if the tests came back as negative. It is savage and barbaric to have absolutely no regard for the suffering that these animals are forced to endure during live export. ” – Marcelle Meredith, Executive Director.
The NSPCA is in disbelief that animal welfare organisations across the globe still need to justify why live export by sea is cruel despite the countless number of cases of extreme animal suffering that have and continue to be reported on.
“With each new case that we are made aware of, it becomes clearer and clearer that this is a fight we cannot give up. We will not stop fighting until this abhorrent trade is brought to its knees!” Said Meredith.
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