This month, there’s an important chance to stop the suffering caused by live animal exports in South Africa and we're asking citizens and residents to help.

Right now, the South African government is proposing new draft regulations on live exports by sea, which would allow the terrible suffering of farmed animals on long journeys to continue and potentially even worsen.

But if you’re a South African citizen or resident, you can have your say on the legislation and join our call for a complete ban.

Extreme animal suffering

Every year, thousands of sheep, cows, and other farmed animals are exported from South Africa by sea. They are forced to endure horrific suffering on long, gruelling journeys – often to the Middle East or Mauritius.

Animals are often crammed into overcrowded pens and left struggling in extreme heat, and the journeys can last for days, or even weeks. They have limited access to food or water during this time and, tragically, it is common for animals to collapse and die before the ships even reach their destination.

New regulations

This month, the South African government is proposing changes to the legislation. But the proposals could make these journeys worse, with less legal protection. Once animals leave South African shores, the laws of the country cannot be enforced – and there is no humane way to confine animals on a ship for days or weeks at a time. Now is the time to ban the practice entirely, not slacken the rules.

Growing global momentum

Across the world, countries – such as New Zealand and Great Britain – have woken up to the reality that live exports are unnecessary, outdated and inhumane, and have enforced bans. South Africa has the chance to lead the way in the Continent, by rejecting this cruel trade and replacing it with higher-welfare solutions that protect animals.

Our Head of Southern Africa, Alexis Olds, said:

Our moral responsibility to these animals does not stop when they leave South African waters – but with limited oversight and no enforceable welfare standards once they have sailed beyond the horizon, our hands are far from clean.

This legislation puts our country at a crossroads: will we uphold our reputation as a compassionate and ethical nation, or continue to endorse a trade that so clearly undermines it?

Help us ban live exports

South African citizens and residents can comment on the proposed legislation and call for a full ban. Submissions close on Monday 25th August.

South Africa: No law can make live exports humane