Investigators witnessed cattle being dehorned and castrated without pain relief; sick, injured and young animals being left to die or being euthanised incorrectly; animals being kicked and punched; and costs and convenience routinely put ahead of the welfare of animals.
The only thing more shocking than the systemic abuse exposed through this investigation, is that much of it is entirely legal.Dehorning is one of the most traumatic experiences cattle are forced to endure. Yet, there are no laws in Australia requiring them to receive pain relief. The practice is excruciating — and is just one of the many painful mutilations Australian cattle are routinely subjected to.
The investigation also revealed that workers and backpackers on these stations felt they had no choice but to accept inflicting suffering on animals; especially when some of these cruel practices were legal or accepted by the industry.
The importance of this investigation is that it reveals an overarching culture of cruelty and acceptance of suffering in the northern Australian cattle industry.If you conducted surgery on a dog or cat without any pain relief, you could be prosecuted for cruelty... But because cattle on outback stations are being raised for food, Australian laws allow them to be branded with hot irons, to have their horns painfully cut out, and to be castrated — all while fully sensible to the pain. This is despite the fact that all animals share the capacity to suffer.
INVESTIGATOR, SENTIENT
Take action for Australia's farmed animals
Demand the Australian cattle industry to immediately commit to pain relief for all surgical procedures on farmed animals and implement proper, independent oversight of outback cattle stations.
Information, footage and images courtesy of Sentient.
Reader Comments
But ya, I thought the same thing; we are on a trajectory towards a meatless society and this is propaganda akin to 'pulling babies out of incubators' that got Americans interested in a war in Iraq.
We also discussed resolution - did we not?
Well, I'm keeping up my end.
Just transplanted a little baby magnolia into its resting place for awhile and I'm named her Hillary and kicked in her the crotch several times already - for her own good of course.
We discussed this - did we not?
I said to you - (metaphorically of course) - I said, I'm sorry you have both lupus and anemia and I can tell just by glancing at ya, that you got quite the sprung attitude. He concurred and I think he wanted to prove it to me, but I gave him no call to do that. I felt back for the son of a bitch, but I could tell he was effed up and I don't know why he chose to discourse with me, but maybe he could tell I was about as effed up as him at the time. I'm glad I met the fella and really I'm glad I didn't have to kill him in self defense. Metaphorically of course - it was all imagination, but it came close.
Ken
Just transplanted a little baby magnolia into its resting place for awhile and I named the little baby "Hillary" and kicked her in the crotch several times already for good measure - and for her own good of course.
I kicked her with my left foot after kicking her with my right foot.
I kicked that little baby several times.
It helps oxygen get to the roots.
It helps the roots settle proper.
I kicked her for her own good.
Not playing around.
BK
Later. Thanks.
Ken
That sad situation is not unique to Australia, unfortunately it's all over. May humanity never gets what it deserves and yes I eat beef and animals were not mistreated in the farm I grew up in.
This is what happens when talking across the table fails and somebody refuse to give up.
A fight to the death.
My vote is for the momma cow and her calf.
Hard lessons on the way seems to me - what do you think?
Is there a way out of the maze?
I'm thinking not anymore for
the few who created it
in the first place.
Let them die in their bunkers is what I think.
Ken