Disturbing footage emerges showing Australian cattle having their throats slit and being dragged along the ground while whimpering in pain at Indonesian slaughterhouses
- WARNING: Distressing footage and images in this story
- Australian cattle being illegally slaughtered alive in Indonesian province of Aceh
- Shows cattle spending their final moments alive in pain as their throats are slit
- Confronting footage released by Animals Australia is now being investigated
Horrific footage has emerged of Australian cattle being illegally slaughtered alive at an Indonesian abattoir in an act of animal cruelty.
A government department investigation has been launched into the footage filmed at an Australian-approved abattoir in the Aceh province during the recent Eid festival earlier this month.
The graphic video released by Animals Australia shows cattle tied up by the mouth with rope, which is used to drag them along the concrete ground.
Their final moments alive are spent in agonising pain as their throats are slit while still fully conscious before they bleed to death.
An investigation into Australian cattle being illegally slaughtered alive in Indonesia earlier this month has been launched. Pictured is a dying bull being doused in water
One bull spends its final moments alive withering in pain as it slaps its tail.
Cattle are doused with water to remain cool and prevent it from rotting due to the lack of refrigeration, which caused further distress to the dying animals.
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The slaughter methods filmed are in breach of animal welfare standards under the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) rules implemented in 2011 to protect exported livestock from such cruelty.
The cattle are housed in Mark I boxes, which are banned under Australian export rules.
The ESCAS rules requires exporters to have arrangements with supply chain partners to provide humane treatment and handling of livestock from arrival in the importing country up to the point of slaughter.
Australia is the only livestock exporting country that lists specific animal welfare conditions after the animals leave our shores.
Around 11,000 supply chain participants have been trained in animal welfare since 2011, according to the Australian Livestock Exporters' Council.
Its website claims 95 per cent of Australian cattle exported to Indonesia are now stunned pre-slaughter, compared to less than 10 per cent in 2011.
Animals Australia has released confronting footage of the shocking act of animal cruelty
Australian Livestock Exporters' Council chief executive Mark Harvey-Sutton condemned the confronting footage.
He added cattle were slaughtered in an inappropriate way and that they should have rendered immediately unconscious after their throats were cut.
Mark 4 boxes should have been used.
The company responsible has identified itself to the Department of Agriculture, which is investigating.
'There has been a loss of control of the cattle and that's what unfortunately led to the animal to being slaughtered in that manner,' Mr Harvey-Sutton told the Age.
The distressing slaughter methods filmed are in breach of animal welfare standards under the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System introduced in 2011
'I know it doesn't excuse and it and in no way would I condone what occurred but there are 600,000 cattle sent to Indonesia each year and they all go through ESCAS systems.'
Animals Australia director Lyn White believes nothing has changed with the rules were implemented almost a decade ago.
'That Australian cattle are being killed by brutal, banned methods in audited and approved abattoirs in Indonesia should sound alarm bells that the integrity of the ESCAS audit and compliance system has been compromised,' she said.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Animals Australia and the Department of Agriculture for further comment.
The cattle were slaughtered in Mark 1 boxes, which are banned under Australian export rules
The Australian Livestock Exporters' Council Australia was already aware of claims of non-compliant slaughter of Australian cattle in Indonesia before the footage was released publicly this week.
'The video footage of the non-compliant slaughter is distressing, unacceptable and not appropriate treatment of Australian livestock,' Mr Harvey-Sutton said in a statement last week.
'Exporters take any breach of the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) extremely seriously and have been reviewing the footage and all the information provided by the regulator to address these allegations.
'The industry is regulated and there are systems in place to make any necessary decisions to stop future non-compliance.
'Under ESCAS exporters can identify breaches and if necessary, remove offending facilities from their supply chains.'
Australian Livestock Exporters' Council has described the footage as unacceptable
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