Stop the Suffering.
Ban live export now!
Together, we can create a more compassionate South Africa for all beings.
Our Promise: Protecting Animals, Ending Live Export Suffering
Stop Live Export SA is a members-based, voluntary association dedicated to ending the cruel and unnecessary practice of live animal export by sea for slaughter.
Every year, thousands of animals are shipped from South Africa to foreign countries, in conditions that causes suffering, only to be slaughtered at their destination. South Africans do not want their animals subjected to cruelty and suffering. South African people embrace the spirit of “Ubuntu”, which recognises the interconnectedness of all beings, and that humans are part of a larger and more significant relational, communal, societal, environmental and spiritual world.
WHAT MAKES LIVE EXPORT SO BAD?
Live export, as an unnecessary trade, subjects millions of animals globally to suffering on arduous sea journeys lasting days or weeks, only to be slaughtered at the destination market.
South Africa has laws in place to govern animal welfare, but once these export vessels leave South African waters, there are no laws to safeguard animal welfare; and no way to guarantee monitoring or protection for these animals.
They often face injury, heat stress, and mental and physical anguish from being confined in cramped conditions over the transport period.
Globally, there have been instances where animals have died on board these vessels. This was highlighted in 2024 when the ‘Al Kuwait” vessel, which was on its way from Brazil to Iraq, docked in Cape Town in February causing a city-wide stink that highlighted the plight of the estimated 19 000 cattle on board. Inspectors from the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) boarded the vessel to assess the condition of the animals. According to the NSPCA, the smell was caused by the conditions the livestock had endured, having spent two and a half weeks on board, with a build-up of faeces and ammonia. Several animals had to be euthanised due to injuries before the ship departed for the next leg of its journey.
Animal Welfare concerns that have been documented historically in the global live export Industry are:
•Overcrowded and unsanitary conditions during transportation
•Dehydration, hunger, and exhaustion
•Motion sickness often leading to injury and death
•Exposure to extreme weather and heat stress
•Separation from their families and social groups
•High risk of animals getting sick and spreading zoonotic diseases ~ biohazard risk
•Animal welfare problems often arise at some export destinations, where the industry might employ inhumane methods of handling, further transportation, and slaughter
Our Partners
Soapbox
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Taberer Attorneys
Greyton Farm Animal Sanctuary
Compassion in World Farming SA
Climate save movement
Animal voice
Animal Law Reform
Our Partners share our overarching goal to establish a vigorous social movement aimed at promoting public awareness of the inherent injustice and cruelty in the live animal export trade on both local and global levels, and to influence governmental regulations concerning live animal export. However, our Partners are indemnified from any perceived affiliation with the actions and decisions undertaken by Stop Live Export SA in pursuit of these objectives.