After months of delay and failed attempts a livestock cargo ship from Spain is headed for animal culling. The cargo ship Karim Allah had nearly 900 cattle onboard which was scheduled to be delivered to Turkey last year.
However, no country accepted livestock cargo in fear of disease outbreaks. So the ship returned to Spain and stayed there with the cattle. Now a vet inspecting the ship has informed the Spanish authorities that the cattle need to be killed.
They are no longer fit for export after being stranded in the Mediterranean sea for 2 months. Also rejected livestock is rarely accepted elsewhere.
895 cattle sailed for Turkey on December 18 onboard Karim Allah but the Turkish port authorities suspected that the cattle had a disease and refused the cargo. The ship then made a second attempt to disembark the cattle in Libya but there too it was rejected. Ultimately the ship returned to Cartagena Port.
The ship docked at Cartagena port on Thursday and there were a large hue and cry about the cattle being dead. The Spanish authorities then conducted an official inspection by Government veterinarians on Saturday.
The cattle were deemed unfit for return to Spain or any other country which made the Spanish agriculture ministry to decide on their fate. The ministry wants them to be killed without further delay while animal rights groups are up against it.
“This is yet another wake-up call to urgently end live export,” said the Eurogroup for Animals.
Discussion about this post