2007 News
Fundraising stunt exposes PETA’s true agenda
24 August 2007
PETA continues misinformed campaign against Australian woolgrowers
In late June Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) won a landmark commitment from the extremist animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) that it would stop its harassment and intimidation of retailers over the practice of mulesing until 31 December 2010, when mulesing is to be phased out.
In return AWI agreed to drop the case it brought against PETA in the Federal Court of Australia.
Since then, PETA has continued its underhanded campaign against the Australian wool industry. Most recently it has made exaggerated and untrue claims in an email alert calling on supporters to donate money to the campaign.
The Australian Wool and Sheep Industry Taskforce has strongly rejected the claims made by PETA in this latest stunt, which has exposed PETA’s true agenda – to raise funds and advance its vegan agenda.
Some of these claims are refuted below.
CLAIM: The Australian wool industry has a “long term pattern of animal abuse”.
FACT: Australian woolgrowers are extremely proud of their high standards of animal care and husbandry.
Australian Merino sheep are the most productive woolled sheep in the world. This would not be possible if they were constantly abused as PETA claims. Productive animals must be well-fed, watered and protected from internal and external parasites, as well as predators.
Woolgrowers and their families often put the welfare of their flocks above their own needs, ensuring that resources are made available to feed, water and protect sheep. The recent drought saw many examples of this.
Abuse or mistreatment of animals is exceptionally rare – it makes no sense at all – and is dealt with under state law.
CLAIM: Australian sheep are “treated like machines”, similar to animals in factory farms and fur production.
FACT: Australian sheep are cared for as living beings, not machines.
Australian sheep graze across vast properties, and are shorn once per year, yielding the beautiful fine wool which is in great demand around the world.
To ensure wool is in the best condition, sheep must be properly cared for. Woolgrowers take great pride in their annual wool clip and their sheep.
CLAIM: Sheep are sold off to the livestock export trade and treated cruelly.
FACT: A proportion of sheep are exported overseas to provide a valuable source of fresh meat. The industry is highly regulated and has the highest standards in the world.
Most Merino sheep are processed in Australia at licenced abattoirs; however some are exported overseas, mainly to Asia and the Middle East, where they provide an affordable source of essential protein.
The trade is highly regulated by the Federal Government and Australia has world-best livestock export standards. Most of the ships are purpose-built; all are enclosed and ventilated vessels, providing round-the-clock food and water.
The Australian industry, supported by the Federal Government, has an extensive program working with overseas customers to lift standards of animal welfare, technology and education to ensure that sheep are treated properly on arrival.
CLAIM: A number of big-name retailers are supporting PETA’s boycott.
FACT: There are no retailers supporting PETA’s so-called boycott.
The demand for Australian Merino wool in department stores in the northern hemisphere has increased since PETA’s campaign started.
A commitment to international retailers to introduce alternative mulesing practices by the end of 2010 will be met. Retailers understand that the present mulesing practice must continue until then in order to protect sheep, otherwise up to three million sheep could die in a bad blowfly season.
CLAIM: Australian lambs and sheep endure some of the worst cruelty on the planet.
FACT: Australian woolgrowers and their families spend every day of the year caring for their sheep.
This claim is an insult to Australian woolgrowers. PETA is not really interested in the welfare of sheep in Australia. If it was, it would support R&D programs to improve animal welfare, as all woolgrowers do through the industry levy system.
PETA is only interested in sensationalising issues for its own fund-raising purposes and to advance its vegan agenda: “Animals are not ours to use—for food, clothing, entertainment, experimentation, or any other reason.”
1: www.peta.org