Australia’s Biggest Live Sheep Export Company Will Face Trial in a Landmark Animal Cruelty Case Regarding it’s Shipping of Sheep to Middle East

This is great. As you all remember, recent video was shown regarding the horrors of the Australia to Middle East live animal export industry. Shocking footage showed various abuses of sheep and cattle during the long journey over and even more when they got to those horrific locations. Here is the link to the video and story -
http://geari.blogspot.com/2006/03/
unbelievable-video-exposes_08.html

Let’s hope this goes through. This would have serious implications for the live export industry.

Article:

Sheep exporter on cruelty charges

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,
19252835-1245,00.html?from=rss

25-05-2006
From: AAP

THE nation's biggest live sheep export company will face trial in Perth in a landmark animal cruelty case.
Emanuel Export and two of its directors, Michael Stanton and Graham Daws, were charged last year with breaching the West Australian Animal Welfare Act.

Mr Daws and Mr Stanton did not appear in court today, when it was announced that a date for the trial would be allocated on July 26.

Last month, Mr Daws and Mr Stanton pleaded not guilty in the Perth Magistrates' Court to the ill treatment of animals contrary to the state Animal Welfare Act.

Mr Daws has also denied being the person in charge and that he did not provide sufficient food and water to the sheep.

The company has said it will vigorously defend the charges.

It also said the landmark case could have serious implications for the live export industry.

Emanuel will argue on the validity of the WA charges under section 109 of the Australian Constitution, arguing the industry is controlled by Commonwealth laws and therefore state laws have no jurisdiction.

The charges arose after Animals Australia laid a complaint that more than 1000 sheep had died and others had been injured during a journey from Fremantle to Kuwait on the MV Al Kuwait in November 2003.

The animal rights group first complained to police in 2003 before the WA Government and the state solicitor both investigated, which led to charges being laid.