One ship which carries approx 14,000 sheep and 2,000 cattle has been abandoned here and days helpless at openly of Australian shores in conditions stifling heatafter he was forced to abandon his passage from the Red Sea.

The event has caused concern and reactions for animal health.

The ship sailed from Australia on January 5th with destination Israelwhere he was to unload the animals, but changed his course in mid-January due to the threat of attacks by Houthibefore being called by the Australian government to return to where he left off.

The animals are now on hold and likely to land on Australiawhere biosecurity regulations require that they be entered into quarantine.

Otherwise they will have to do it again with the ship one journey that will last one month bound for Israel, but around Africa to avoid the Red Sea, government and industry officials said.

Organizations of breeders and exporters say that the animals that board the MV Bahijah they are in good health, but with temperatures approaching them 40 degrees Celsiusanimal rights activists are reacting strongly.

“What is being considered is a 60-day journey for 14,000 sheep in one stinking metal ship boiling with heat. It’s very difficult to imagine that this is consistent with the animal welfare standards that Australians expect to be applied to Australian animals,” Josh Wilson, MP for Fremantle, where the ship was loaded, told 10 News.

Australia’s Department of Agriculture said it had no evidence of serious animal health concerns and was working with relevant authorities to ensure biosecurity and animal health standards were met.

The exporter, Israeli company Bassem Dabbah Ltd, has asked the Australian government for permission to load larger quantities of animal feed and veterinary supplies and sail to Israel around Africa, said Geoff Pearson, the head of the WA Farmers Association.

Reuters was unable to contact Bassem Dabbah, while the ship’s managing company, Korkyra Shipping, did not respond to a request for comment.

Canberra said the ship had requested to unload some animals before sailing with the rest.

THE Australia is a major exporter of live animals and last year carried over half a million sheep and half a million cattle.

Most cattle are transported to Asian markets such as Indonesia and Vietnambut the Middle East it is by far the most popular market for Australian sheep.

Israel is a key market, having received 86,100 sheep worth $6.5 million and 10,848 cattle worth $14 million from Australia in the first quarter of last year, trade data shows.

Australia’s Labor government has pledged to ban live sheep exports in the coming years, but is facing backlash from farmers’ groups who say it will cause unemployment and destroy farming communities.

New Zealand has banned live animal exports after a ship carrying more than 5,800 cattle sank during rough seas in 2020, leaving behind dozens of missing sailors and dead animals floating at sea.