COVID-19 restrictions on live export ships could put the lives of thousands of animals at risk, say animal rights activists Stop Live Export.

The group said animals kept on long hot journeys into the Northern Hemisphere needed observers looking after them, however the federal agriculture department had essentially pulled them all out, citing the risk of catching Covid.

The former Gillard government introduced the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System in 2011 in response to revelations of cruelty in Indonesian Abattoirs, boosting the number of observers, but since then 189 complaints of regulation breaches have been lodged in Australia alone.

Stop Live Exports campaign manager Katrina Love said that figure was probably the “tip of the iceberg”.

“I think for every report that’s been sent to the Department of Agriculture there’s probably another 10 that no one has seen,” Ms Love said. 

On Sunday October 17 at 10.45am Stop Live Exports is holding a protest against live export on Stirling Bridge in East Fremantle. Ms Love is expecting around 500 participants. 

by PALOMA SHIELD-NUNEZ