Millions of sheep are transported long distances annually for trade and slaughter, experiencing significant and preventable suffering.
Long-distance live sheep transport combines every major welfare stressor: confinement, motion, social disruption, extreme temperatures, inadequate water access, and traumatic injury. At sea, conditions on livestock vessels often fall far below minimum standards. The economic arguments for live export over chilled meat trade are weakening as refrigeration technology improves. The welfare case for ending long-distance live export for slaughter is overwhelming and uncontroversial among animal scientists.