Animal Rights Advocates Speak Out in Mersin: "Live Animal Trade Must Be Banned"

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The Independent Collective for Animal Rights and Animal Rights Investigation Committee issued a press release after a NADA ship coming from Brazil and reportedly carrying 25 thousand 175 cattle in adverse conditions arrived at Mersin Harbor.

The meeting held at Mersin Journalists Association headquarters and attended by Republican People's Party (CHP) Mersin MPs Fikri Sağlar and Serdal Kuyucuoğlu called for a complete ban on the live animal trade.

Authorities had declared that 975 thousand live animals would be brought to Turkey from different countries by the end of 2018. Animal rights activists had argued that universal principles are not observed in animal transportation, and that present conditions constitute animal cruelty as well as a threat to public health.

The ship set sail despite court order

A local court in Brazil had ruled against the embarkation of the ship for reasons stated in the report, whereas authorities in Turkey had not even allowed the ship to be searched, the press release stated.

"Despite the court's cease and desist order obtained in the case filed in Brazil against the NADA ship for all of these reasons, politics and trade have joined hands to overcome the judiciary and have the ship set sail, while an official complaint issued by the Mersin Bar Association in Turkey failed to lead legal authorities to act or to allow for an independent committe to conduct an inspection in the ship."

Hundreds of thousands of animals will be carried in worse conditions

Animal rights advocates called relevant ministried to action:

"This will not be the first nor the last death journey. News that 975 thousand live animals will be carried under atrocious conditions from various different countries to Turkey by the end of 2018 has already been covered by the media. We condemn all countries, foremost Brazil, engaging in live animal trade and urge the Food, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Ministry to put an end to this bloody trade immediately. We call on the public in Turkey to not be a party to these crimes, and to respect sentient animals' right to life." (ÇT/PU)