Australian National Animal Transport Standards available here for your submission until 27 May 2008.

Example Submission A

These standards seem to assume that everyone who handles livestock is an expert and therefore the standards protect poor judgements made by not setting explicit boundaries and black and white procedures. Shortfalls in strict adherence to the standards are hidden by words like 'competent' and 'effective'. What do these words really mean? Effective in my book may mean something completely different in someone else’s. Then who makes the call? Nobody can because there are no benchmarks set and not even any degrees by which to judge are present in these standards.

For example; there is no national training programs in low stress animal handling methods and techniques so how can a livestock handler be judged as 'competent'?

There has to be a compulsory scheme which trains livestock handlers correctly and comparably. Training is often word of mouth from one person to another and this will perpetrate bad handling techniques but with no accreditation schemes in place the problem continues.

Similarly, there are no Australian Standards set to which crates, to convey livestock, must comply.

The industry has in reality been given carte blanch to operate with few boundaries in regard to animal welfare. These standards have been written by industry to protect industry and compliance will cost industry nothing.

(Example) Standard:
SA1.2 For a journey reasonably expected to exceed 24 hours, there must be one or more documents that accompany the livestock and that specify:

i) the date and time that the livestock last had access to water
ii) the date and time of livestock inspections and any livestock welfare concerns and actions taken
iii) emergency contacts.

A person in charge who is transferring responsibility for livestock to be further
transported for longer than 24 hours must provide a document with this
information to the next person in charge.

(Example) Comment:
“Reasonably expected” means the driver can legally use ignorance in not knowing that the transport took longer than 24 hours to avoid having documentation for water. This abdicates him of responsibility for the welfare of the animals.

Any professional transporter must know exactly how long a transport will take. If he doesn’t know, he shouldn’t be driving the truck. They must allow for the distance, and all contingencies, including checking the welfare of the animals, and unforeseen delays, and have the documentation on water.

(Example)Replace with:
SA1.2 For a journey which will exceed 24 hours, there must be one or more documents that accompany the livestock and that specify:

i) the date and time that the livestock last had access to water
ii) the date and time of livestock inspections and any livestock welfare concerns and actions taken
iii) emergency contacts.

A person in charge who is transferring responsibility for livestock to be further
transported for longer than 24 hours must provide a document with this
information to the next person in charge.

 

and so on for each Standard to be changed ...