OFM News recently reported on the NSPCA’s concern for the consignment of 61 000 sheep destined for Kuwait and the fact that the vessel arrived at the East London Harbour a few weeks back. Grace de Lange, unit manager of Farm Animal Protection at the NSPCA, says meanwhile inspections were undertaken on the livestock vessel, as well as the feedlot at the Page Farming Trust in Berlin in the Eastern Cape, where the sheep are being kept. She says a report has been submitted to the National Department of Agriculture about their findings.

The NSPCA and the National, as well as Provincial Departments of Agriculture, are engaged in meetings to address the concerns.  

According to her, there are unavoidable contraventions of the Animals Protection Act No 71 of 1962 and the minimum standards set by the World Organisation of Animal Health (OIE), of which South Africa is a member.  A number of serious concerns were also found at the feedlot where sheep were fighting over food, no shelter was provided to any of the animals, including the hospital pens, and rubble was found in the pens. Some of the sheep presented with ocular and nasal discharge, some were underweight, one was emaciated and blind, and a substantial number of sheep were found to be limping and lame. Inspectors also had to euthanase a total of seven sheep and issued a warning due to contraventions of the Animals Protection Act No 71 of 1962.

OFM News' Christal-Lize Muller spoke to her...

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