A South African ‘ship of shame,’ is set to leave for a journey at sea this week. These ships have been under fire since Carte Blanche exposed the animal cruelty on these ships. The ships are hired to transport livestock from South Africa to Mauritius, and journeys can take a week or more. The ships are overcrowded, and have sub par conditions. Once the cattle arrive in Mauritius they are slaughtered.

The ship that will be leaving East London this week will carry 3500 cattle, goats and sheep.

Animal rights activists have been at war with exporters over the inhumane treatment of these animals, especially since the country has the facilities to give the animals a more peaceful and humane death. Battles have been fought in court, and death threats have surfaced, but the industry is still surviving and it makes millions of dollars each year.

Two weeks ago the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) lost a court bid to stop cattle-breeder Bruce Page from sending the animals to Mauritius.

When talking about why meat is not exported instead of livestock, Page said the Muslim community on the island need live animals to slaughter for halaal meat.

Marcelle Meredith head of the NSPCA said:

This is one of the cruellest methods of transporting animals in existence.

Adding:

The animals become ill and lethargic, seasick and some often end up with broken legs.

The Agence France-Presse Page’s son said after his dad won the court battle, they received a phone call, a man on the other end of the receiver threatened:

Either you or your children will be killed if you load that ship.

[Source: Carte Blanche, Mail & Guardian]