Controversy over animal cruelty! What do you think?

Actor Joaquin Phoenix has written to the Australian Agricultural Minister about the treatment of Australian sheep. He has stated that the process of Mulesing (a process in which parts of the sheeps skin are cut off to prevent flystrike) and the way in which the animals are treated when being shipped overseas for slaughter are unacceptable and must be stopped. Click here for the link to the ninemsn artical.

I happen to aggree with him on the live animal exports issue, I think it is a cruel practice, but on the issue of Mulesing I don't think I can agree entirely.

Coming from a farming family, I'd have to say that they don't suffer a great deal during the Mulesing process, and they get over it within a few weeks, and it is done to protect them from being eaten alive by maggots! So at this point in time I feel it is a justified process for the animal's own well being (though I could change my mind).

The ninemsn artical doesn't really go into much detail about what Mulesing is, so to get a bit more info click here to find out a bit more about it.

I'd really like to find out what other people think about this topic, as I have had debates with several of my friends for and against it.

Cheers

Sorry about the links, I'll try again:

ninemsn news artical

Wikipedia artical on Mulesing

I dont really know anything about sheep farming or Mulesing. Infact today is the first time that i have ever heard of it. As is the case i suspect with Mr Phoenix.

I have a real issue with celebrities sticking their nose into in this example the farming industry. Celebrities tend to be shallow who do certain things for self gain. Good example would be Niomi Campbell joint the anti fur league then wore fur on the catwalk months later.

With the exception of Geldof, Bonno and Midge Ure they all seem to buck this trend.

Celebrities aside, is there no other way of preventing flystrike? some form of bug spray that could be used on the sheep? It said in the article that this practice is to be phased out by 2010, so why has Mr Pheonix got his knickers in a twist.

In the Uk we "dip" our sheep in some sort of cleaning liquid, is this doing the same job as Mulesing? If so then the practice probably should be stopped as there is an alternative, more human way of dealing with the problem.

if it is done to stop them getting maggots i dont agree with it,i think they should be treated in a humane way,and shipped out to other countries where the sheep aint all bundled intogether but given room room to move about,i know this will cut the farmers money down but the important thing that is important is why should be shipped liked this?and you say cutting away flesh from the sheep is best for who the countries that are gonna buy them,i really cant see how you can say they get over it in a few weeks,would you if half your but was chopped off with a knife and no painkillers when its being done or after,yet again i feel it comes down to farmers profits they could have the sheep sedated to do this proceedure then have painkillers of some time.were in 2007 and yet were still barbaric.

i think it depends on how responsible the farmer is i lived on a sheep farm in western victoria for 8 yrs and they would shear the dags off if any shearer drew blood on a sheep they were not asked back
as for the shipping of them i dont know much about that
pink was another celeb that stuck her nose in and then had to apologise for opening her mouth before she knes the facts

"Current veterinary opinion considers the practice to be a necessary compromise in providing for the general welfare of sheep in areas of Australia"

and as for the whole "we only do it for profits" id have to say you dont know all to much about this subject do you, who here eats meat?

"if it is done to stop them getting maggots i dont agree with it"

Would you like to be eaten alive? i think not.

"...and you say cutting away flesh from the sheep is best for who the countries that are gonna buy them,"

ah.... HELLLLLOOOOOOOOO! THE SHEEEP! need i say being eaten alive by maggots isnt exactly the nicest way to go, and considering the financial situation of most farmers id say sedation is not they way to go considering most farmers in OZ are experiencing the worst drought ever they are luck to be able to feed the blody things, the animals will be killed and eaten but here you are asking about the room they have to walk around?, stop exporting to the middle east? sure no worries they can just find some other way to eat!!

"...i really cant see how you can say they get over it in a few weeks,would you if half your but was chopped off with a knife and no painkillers when its being done or after"

yea i would get over it considering the alternative!

"..yet again i feel it comes down to farmers profits"

WHAT PROFITS??

"were in 2007 and yet were still barbaric"

.....need i say more?