SHEFFIELD, Tasmania – New footage has emerged, revealing what activists claim is more evidence of animal cruelty at a Tasmanian abattoir in the state’s north. The Farm Transparency Project released images and videos captured at Local Meat Co in Sheffield, targeting the slaughterhouse for alleged mistreatment of animals. This comes after previously released ‘horrifying’ videos reportedly captured at Tasmanian Quality Meats late last year.
The Local Meat Co responded to the allegations, stating that the footage was obtained illegally after activists trespassed and installed hidden cameras at the facility. The company condemned the mistreatment of animals shown in the footage and claims to have taken immediate actions to improve their operations and retrain staff.
In response, Harley McDonald-Eckersall from the Farm Transparency Project highlighted that the footage is part of a comprehensive investigation of five Tasmanian slaughterhouses and warned of more to come. The state government previously announced the setup of a new investigative taskforce to ensure the “highest standard of animal welfare” across the livestock processing industry.
Tasmanian Greens Leader Rosalie Woodruff accused the government of attempting to conceal the harsh reality of systematic cruelty in the abattoir industry, calling for the implementation of regulated CCTV surveillance and monitoring. The concerns raised by animal rights activists and the response from the government and the slaughterhouse authorities indicate an ongoing and contentious issue surrounding animal welfare in Tasmania’s meat industry.
The release of the footage has sparked debates regarding the treatment of animals in the livestock processing industry, prompting calls for stricter monitoring and enforcement of animal welfare standards to prevent systemic brutality in abattoirs. As the investigation into the alleged mistreatment continues, stakeholders are being urged to take decisive action to address the concerns raised by activists and ensure the protection of animal welfare in Tasmania.