The vessel, originating from Brazil, made a stopover in Cape Town. Upon boarding, authorities discovered cattle living in their filth, among dead or sick animals. The stench permeated the city. Advocacy groups denounce the deplorable conditions of such livestock transport. While the stopover in Cape Town provided a brief respite, the animals were not out of danger.
It’s a continuing nightmare cruise for these distressed animals, forced to endure living in beds of excrement. The Al Kuwait ship has set sail again towards Iraq, where the cattle will undergo ritual slaughter, hence the necessity to transport them alive… or barely so. Making a stop at Cape Town’s port for refueling, the ship underwent inspection.
Animal welfare organizations and veterinarians spent three days on this hellish vessel. Some tended to the cattle, others euthanized them. However, cleaning the unsanitary ship laden with dung and carcasses was impossible. Discharging these waste materials would have posed a pollution problem in Cape Town’s port, already affected by the foul odor permeating the city, reminiscent of a sewage treatment plant.
Consequently, the ship resumed its voyage at sea, where it is expected to discharge its slurry before heading to Iraq. “This incident is a stark reminder that the export of live animals by sea is a horrific and outdated practice,” reacted the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which circulated photos from inside the ship to underscore its point.