Ship of horrors: animal cruelty on Kuwaiti vessel shocks NSPCA
Livestock carrier Al Kuwait Departs Cape Town harbour for Iraq After investigators were horrified By ‘Abhorrent scenes’ of Death AND suffering on BOARD – not to mention the stench over the City. By
The Al Kuwait, a foul-smelling vessel carrying 19,000 cattle and dubbed “the death ship” by activists, left Cape Town for Iraq midweek after taking animal feed on board.
The Al Kuwait made an emergency docking in Cape Town after being at sea for eight days from Brazil, in need of feed and fuel.
South African authorities conducted medical assessments of the animals and administered medical care.
The NSPCA said some of the cattle had been lying in their faeces and urine and there was rotten feed on the ship, which all contributed to a foul smell in parts of Cape Town on Monday, 19 February.
In a statement released the next evening, the NSPCA said: “The NSPCA, with the assistance of its member society the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, conducted an inspection of the vessel from Sunday, 18 February 2024, to Tuesday, 20 February 2024.
“The scenes on the vessel were abhorrent, with an extreme build-up of faeces and urine, and animals having no option but to rest in dams of their own excrement.
“Compromised animals were discovered, including diseased and injured animals. The NSPCA humanely euthanised eight cows aboard the ship and others were found dead. NSPCA veterinary consultant Dr Bryce Marock ensured veterinary treatment of other animals.”
The NSPCA said the incident was a stark reminder that the transport of live animals by sea is a “gruesome and outdated practice that inflicts unnecessary suffering on sentient beings.
“It underscores the urgent need for legislative reform and heightened global awareness to end this cruelty once and for all. This method of trade causes pain, suffering and distress to many animals, including high mortality rates occurring during the voyage.”
Although it is understood that the cattle are being transported alive to Iraq for slaughter in accordance with religious practices, local religious leaders expressed shock at the images of distressed cattle on board the ship published by Daily Maverick.
Mufti Sayed Haroon Al Azhari, the head of the Cape Town Ulama Board, a body of Sunni scholars, professionals and religious leaders, said Islam was against the suffering of animals. “Islam teaches us to be compassionate and kind towards animals,” he told Daily Maverick.
“There are high … requirements to be met when preparing meat for Muslim consumption. We are shocked at the horrific images that are displayed from the ship and the condition of the animals. Islam does not have room for harming humans or animals.”
The Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute board, made up of representatives from the Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Brahma Kumaris faiths, expressed its shock at seeing the terrible conditions the cattle endured.
The board’s chairperson, Dr Braam Hanekom, said: “This raises the question we have been asking for so long about the specific
farming methods that we see around us and also the related value chain of how things are conducted. We ask for an in-depth investigation by the Department of Agriculture.”
Permission to dock
Cape Town Port manager Rajesh Dana said the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) acknowledged the concerns surrounding the livestock carrier.
“TNPA’S decision to allow the docking of Al Kuwait was made based on a thorough assessment of various factors and in consultation with the state veterinarian, Port Health and the Maritime Security Coordination Centre.”
Dana said the safety and wellbeing of the animals on board was of paramount importance in the decision. “Port Health cleared the vessel and in so doing confirmed that all
potential health issues would be managed and controlled. The state vet directorate for animal health granted permission for the vessel to be docked at the port.
“TNPA continues to collaborate closely with the vessel agent, terminal operator, state veterinarian, Port Health, Border Management Authority and the NSPCA to monitor the wellbeing of the animals and manage the risk associated with the livestock vessel docked in the port.”
According to its website, the Al Kuwait is owned by the Kuwaiti company Al Mawashi. Attempts to get comment from the ship owners were unsuccessful. The NSPCA has taken the company to court on multiple occasions.
The ship left Cape Town before dawn on Wednesday, 21 February.