New vision of animal cruelty at Indonesian abattoirs

Last Updated: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:53:00 +1100

The Indonesian Government says it will have to verify video that shows cattle being treated inhumanely at abattoirs.

The response comes after the latest violent footage involving livestock was broadcast by Radio Australia's parent company, the ABC, on Tuesday.

The video shows slaughterhouse workers cutting the neck of a cow while it was still conscious, a practice that's considered cruel.

Indonesia's Deputy Agriculture Minister, Rusman Heriawan, said the Indonesian Government would not turn a blind eye, and will investigate the latest footage before responding.

He also says the Agriculture Ministry will continue improving standards at the country's slaughterhouses in accordance with the agreement reached with Australia last year.

New footage from Indonesian abattoirs showing cattle being slaughtered without being stunned has raised questions about the Australian Government's latest regulations to curb animal abuse.

The footage, aired on the ABC, shows an abattoir worker slitting the throat of a steer without stunning it first, and cutting the animal up while it is still moaning.

Live cattle exports were banned for two months last year after the ABC aired vision showing similar mistreatment of cattle in an Indonesian abattoir.

RSPCA chief scientist Bidda Jones said the cruelty shown towards the cattle is unacceptable.

"These animals weren't stunned. They were just in the way shown on Four Corners. The door opens, the animal trips and falls onto its side and tries to get up, take a long time before its held down for the throat cut and the animals take a long time to die. It's an extremely distressing thing to watch."

Last year, the Australian government implemented strict guidelines aimed at stamping out the maltreatment of exported animals.

But Lyn White from Animals Australia said the new regulations have not changed a thing.

"Part of the government's response to the expose of last year was saying that there'd be greater transparency. That's clearly not the case. They are not even telling us which facilities have been accredited, probably through fear of investigators such as me returning to Indonesia and showing what's going on."

The Department of Agriculture said it has received a complaint regarding animal welfare in three Indonesian abattoirs, and is investigating whether the animals came from Australia.

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