Wellard Rural Exports has been informed by PK Livestock that the company has negotiated an agreement with the Sindh Livestock Department and the Federal Quarantine Department of Pakistan to guarantee the humane processing of 11,500 Australian sheep in compliance with World Animal Health Organisation (OIE) standards.

The agreement, which will form the basis of further detailed negotiations, provides for:

• PK Livestock and Wellard to retain care and control of the sheep
• The sheep will be processed through a modern, Australian designed, HACCP-accredited, ISO 9000-accredited and World Animal Health Organisation-compliant abattoir at PK Livestock.

The abattoir is Australian Exporter Supply Chain Assurance Scheme (ESCAS)-accredited to maintain animal welfare standards.

PK Livestock has agreed to drop its Sindh High Court action while the final agreement is negotiated. The sheep will remain in the care and control of PK Livestock and Wellard until the agreement is finalised.

Speaking from Pakistan, Wellard executive director Steve Meerwald said a negotiated agreement which guaranteed that the sheep would pass through PK Livestock’s modern, ESCAS-accredited abattoir provided the best animal welfare outcome.

“The welfare of the sheep, which we have fought so hard to get back in our possession, has to be the number one priority and a negotiated agreement achieves that goal,” he said.

Wellard said it would provide more information once the final agreement is negotiated.

• Read Beef Central’s most recent report on developments in the Pakistan sheep crisis here.