Animal Liberation Torpedoes Cormo Cooks Tour Mk2

Up to 70,000 sheep bound for the Middle East could have eaten shredded
ham after the material was discovered by authorities in a Portland
feedlot.

The shredded ham found in one of two feedlots believed to have been
contaminated by Animal Liberation activists this week would undergo
further testing, Chief Veterinary Officer Hugh Millar told reporters
in Melbourne.

The sheep will remain in two feedlots at Portland on Victoria's
south-west coast while authorities continue investigations.

The Animal Liberation group claims members used pig meal to
contaminate food and water supplies for the sheep.

Contamination would mean the sheep would not be fit for human
consumption, with legislation outlawing the feeding of animal products
to ruminants following outbreaks of mad cow disease in Europe.

Under Victorian law, fines of up to $24,000 and/or two years' jail
apply for the intentional feeding of animal products to ruminants.

Dr Millar said the substance found in the Portland feedlot was
consistent with claims made by Animal Liberation.

"It would appear to be a shredded ham-type material," he said.

"That is now in the possession of Victoria Police and will be subject
to further testing.

"Our investigations into a potential breach of the Victorian
legislation with respect to the ruminant feed ban will obviously be
ongoing."

Dr Millar said the ham was discovered in a small paddock which
contained around 1,800 sheep.

He said there was no evidence of the material in surrounding paddocks
and it was not clear how many sheep had eaten the ham.

"This would pose no danger to the sheep's health, this is an issue of
breach of legislation," he said.

Dr Millar said it would only take a few days for a sheep to digest and
dissolve protein.

The sheep were due to be loaded onto the live export carrier Al
Shuwaikh.

Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) spokesman Carson
Creagh said officers would not be issuing an export permit until the
investigation by Victoria Police and the Victorian government was
completed.

He said if tests proved positive then an export licence would not be
granted and the Victorian authorities would have to decide the fate of
the sheep.

Victoria Police arrested a 40-year-old man in relation to the
incident.

He is assisting officers with their enquires, police said.

But Animal Liberation members are hailing the protest as a victory.

"This is a fantastic result and we are pleased that our protest has
worked and the sheep will not be loaded," protest organiser Ralph
Hahnheuser said.

Despite the arrest, Mr Hahnheuser said he was confident members acted
within the law.

The protest follows the controversial rejection by Saudi Arabia of
57,000 Australian sheep aboard the MV Cormo Express because of alleged
scabby mouth.


From ninemsn ________

Well done animal lib ... an eccentric but very creative approach to
protest.

Berko60

>
> Well done animal lib ... an eccentric but very creative approach to
> protest.
>
> Berko60

and do you actually think this will keep the sheep from being slaughtered?
and how much HAM did the AR's have to BUY? or did they just slaughter the
pigs themselves?

griffin