- A ship, loaded with 19 000 cattle, irked the Capetonians and once again placed the spotlight on the export of live animals by sea.
- The Iraq-bound Al Kuwait docked at the Cape Town Harbour on Sunday 18 February, and caused an unbearable stench in the V&A Waterfront and the surrounding areas.
- According to authorities, the ship travelled from Brazil before docking in the Mother City.
A ship, loaded with 19 000
cattle, irked the Capetonians and once again placed the spotlight on the export
of live animals by sea.
The Iraq-bound Al Kuwait docked
at the Cape Town Harbour on Sunday 18 February, and caused an unbearable stench
in the V&A Waterfront and the surrounding areas.
According to authorities, the
ship travelled from Brazil before docking in the Mother City.
An inspection of the vessel
started at 22:00 on Sunday 18 February and is still ongoing.
In a media statement, the
National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) said the NSPCA and the Cape of Good Hope SPCA
are actively engaged on the ship.
Jacques Peacock, Public
Relations and Legal Liaison for NSPCA, says an inspection was conducted by
their team, including NSPCA Veterinary Consultant, Dr Bryce Marock. He added
that their attention is on the welfare of the animals.
“This smell is indicative of
the awful conditions the animals endure, having already spent 2½ weeks on
board, with a build-up of faeces and ammonia. The stench onboard is
unimaginable, yet the animals face this every single day.”
Peacock reiterated their stance
against the live export of animals.
“We have been in and out of the
high court on numerous occasions since 2019. We acknowledge the concerns raised
by members of the public regarding the noticeable stench emanating from the
ship, reaching the city centre and surrounds.
“We are extremely grateful for
the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, who has pulled out all the stops to assist the
NSPCA in our inspection.”
He added: “We urge the
public to consider the plight of these sentient beings, confined to cramped
quarters with limited ventilation and hygiene, as we continue our efforts to
ensure their well-being.”
Zahied
Badroodien, the City’s Mayco member for water and sanitation, confirmed that
the smell emanates from the ship. He added that the vessel was due to leave the
port at 21:00 tonight.
But
according to a post on the SPCA’s Facebook page the vessel will only leave
on Wednesday 21 February.
