Home found for 'sheep of shame'

[emad]

BBC News reports that:

Over 50,000 Australian sheep, stranded at sea for almost three months, have been given to Eritrea. The so-called "sheep of shame" are now being offloaded in the African nation, after several countries refused them because of fears of disease. An Australian government spokesman described the sheep as a "gift." He said Canberra would provide Eritrea with some fodder for the animals as well as aid to meet the costs of transport and slaughter.

The sheep have been at sea since 6 August, after leaving the Australian port of Fremantle bound for Saudi Arabia. But Saudi authorities in Jeddah said some of the animals were diseased and refused to accept them. The Australian government disputed this and said the Saudis had no proper basis for refusing the cargo.

Several other countries also turned down the sheep when the animals were offered to them instead. Animal rights groups around the world said the sheep should have been slaughtered rather than remain stuck on the ship. More than 5,000 died during the voyage.

The animals were on their way to Australia's Cocos islands when Eritrea agreed to accept them.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3210295.stm

Thank god it wasn't Wales they ended up in.........

[jonoboy]

1. they tried to unload them

on the Danish Royal Family as a dowry for the Tasmanian girl who just became engaged to the Danish prince but they didn't buy that one.

They're also giving the Eritrian Govt. a million dollars as well.

[pfitz59]

2. Sheep ships! Pens stacked on high.

Never stand down-wind of them! Pheeeeew! We would follow the line of dead and bloated carcasses all the way in to port! (Watching the sharks feast!) Muslim dietary (Kosher)law requires animals to be alive before ritual butchering! Huge business - Australia to Arabia!