Sheep Die Aboard Ship

As of last Thursday, more than 260 sheep have died aboard Al Messilah, a broken-down live export ship. Originally destined for the Middle East, 67,000 sheep were stranded at Port Adelaide in Australia, where the 31-year-old ship returned after mechanical failure. For 10 days, the sheep were confined to crowded pens before being unloaded and transported to a feedlot. The ship has already undergone three investigations for its high sheep mortality rate. Many Australians were protesting live exports earlier this month after animal cruelty and inhumane slaughtering practices were revealed.