Australia’s Secret Shame
Merino sheep are specifically bred in order to produce more wool per sheep. As a result of the unnatural amount and weight of the wool, many sheep collapse and die as a result of heat exhaustion. Also, because of the wrinkly skin of the merinos, moisture is collected during the hot months and as a result, flies are attracted to the skin and lay their eggs in the sheep. When the maggots hatch from the eggs, they feed on the sheep, causing great suffering.
The following information is taken from the PETA web site:
“To prevent this so-called “fly strike,” Australian ranchers perform a barbaric procedure called “mulesing,” in which they force live sheep onto their backs, restrain their legs between metal bars and, often without any painkillers whatsoever, carve huge chunks of skin away from the animals’ backsides or attach vise-like clamps to their flesh until it dies and sloughs off. Both procedures are terribly painful.
Mulesing is a crude attempt to create smoother skin that won’t collect moisture, but the exposed, bloody wounds often become infected or fly-struck. Many sheep who have undergone the mulesing mutilation still suffer slow, agonizing deaths from fly strike.”
These sheep suffer in the most extreme ways just for the wool on their backs. Having faced a lifetime of barbaric treatment, when they are later transported in ships, they can also spend several weeks at sea in temperatures that EXCEED 37° C!!
After all this, what lies in store for the surviving sheep?
For merino sheep that have fallen ill due to extreme exhaustion, stress and fear, some are fed into mincing machines while they are still conscious and some are even thrown overboard from the transport ships to be eaten by sharks! For the rest of the “lucky” ones, their ultimate destination is usually in a country where animal welfare laws are zero and they are sold off for ritual sacrifices and slaughter.
The suffering these animals have to endure really is indescribable. Even from a consumer’s point of view, there is not much value in buying wool when there are so many other attractive synthetic materials available to us. With the choices we have nowadays, there really is no reason for anyone to be supporting this cruel industry by purchasing woolen clothing. Wool is very expensive, it’s not very durable, it stains easily and clothing items made from wool shrink in the wash. So even from the point of buying wool, there is no real benefit.
For me, it is really hard to see so many animals being treated so badly in the modern age. Especially so when there are countless product substitutes available in both the food and clothing industries that were produced without a single animal having to suffer. In these modern times, we are spoilt for choice. So we should always push ourselves to be aware of the choices we make and make sure the choices we do make are ones that fit in with our spiritual practice.
Please watch this MUST SEE video and take a look at the lives of thousands of merino sheep who suffer greatly, all for the material they produce for the Australian wool industry. The footage you will see is heart breaking and some of the images are not pleasant at all. However, remember that the discomfort experienced from watching this video on the wool industry is nothing compared to what the sheep has to endure…Please avoid products that harm animals as much as possible and never eat animals. Be tireless to share the message with others…The animals deserve your hard work and efforts towards their sufferings.
Tsem Rinpoche
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/AustraliaBarbarityActToTheSheep.mp4
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Merino breed of fine-wool sheep is known for its excellent wool quality. The breed has become prominent in many countries worldwide. The world’s best Merino wool comes from Australia, where sheep and lambs were subjected to painful mutilation and slaughter while they were fully conscious. The method used is horrible as that involves cutting crescent-shaped flaps skin without been anesthetised. Cannot imagine the pain those poor, helpless animal suffered. Unbelievable suffering they undergo during the conditions during export and transport and to have their wool been removed. The root of all suffering is ignorance. Let’s use our awareness, education and compassion in every way we can to help these animals.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this article the secret shame of Australia wool industry .
Watching these type of videos definitely will reinforce the determination not to take meat or using products that have caused great harm to them and hence contributed to their sufferings.
Scary to watch this video which i do not dare to finish the video.But somehow only listern, these poor Merino sheep suffered so much before death. Having huge chunks of skin carved away from the animals’ backsides to have better wools. The practice of mulesing on sheeps is very cruel and extremely painful with painkillers it seem. Just wonder if there is any other alternatives now as its so advance this modern era. Several non-surgical alternatives are currently being researched,at the time of writing .
Some good news, quite a number of countries of leading fashion retailers are threatening to boycott Australian wool from sheep farmers who use the controversial practice.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this post.The best choice is to avoid products that harm animals as much as possible and never eat animals. I have shared this message with my friends.
It is indescribable painful and scary to watch this video how these poor Merino sheep have to endure just for the sake of the wool industry. Stop killing these sheep in such a barbaric way.
Stop buying and using wool from these poor animals, there are many synthetic products can substitute available in the market.
Thank you Rinpoche for highlighting the secret shame of Australia.
It is heart breaking to see so much suffering on the sheeps because of our human greeds. The is awful……
How incredible cruel! There is no need to wear Merino wool or any wool for sure if the conditions the sheeps are treated like this!
What a shame to earn one’s money by such means! And how they are shipped – again nobody can support this cruelty and the horror while museling and much more!
Stop killing animals – stop using and abusing them! They feel the pain just like us!
Thank You Rinpoche for creating awareness about the suffering of animals.
This is so horrible! I couldn’t finish watching the whole video, they have really suffered a lot!
i cannot imagine how much pain the sheep have went through, they were basically being skinned alive! It’s so horrible!
Poor little sheep, may they take good rebirths and will never have to go through the same ugly and scary experience again.
Thank You for sharing Rinpoche.
Love, beatrix.
This is terrible… I never thought the wool industry would be so horrible! I always thought that all they did was shave it off the sheep body like grooming!
I think the safest way is to avoid all animal products or by-products to ensure that we are not the cause of an animal’s suffering… Such a pity… I’m sure many people do not realize how this industry works, or else many people would probably stop using wool. There is no reason to use wool products any more now a days, especially when we have many synthetic products that can be used to make weather proof clothes such as the ones sold in Uniqlo. It is about time for us to stop using products made from animal by-products, there’s nothing ‘classy’ about using a dead animal’s skin on your body.
Oh my god. People do this to sheep? Thats terrible, i couldn’t believe that sheep’s are treated this way so that people can have their wool. And in this article, Rinpoche has told us the many ways the sheep can die. But the one way that i was most surprised of was that they die from the heat from their wool. This is because people breed the sheep in a way that they produce more fur. Therefore, when they are put into such hot conditions, they die. Thank you for sharing this with us Rinpoche.
Why should thousands of sheep die just because of their wool and for our enjoyment? When the sheep’s wool being shaved off and made into coats it let us feel warm and comfortable, but then the sheep will feel cold and nothing to let them stay warm. The worst part is slice their throat and let them suffer in great pain to death while they are still alive. Animals were not meant for to kill, torture and eaten. We should be their friends and care them, and when the time has comes for them to die we should let them die in happiness not in suffering. So please stop killing them and be their friends so that they can trust once again. Thank you
The destiny of Merino sheep reminds of a piece of information that I came across on the rearing of meat chicken. In some parts of the world, meat chicken are reared in such a way that they cannot stand up due to the sheer weight of their bodies, and their feet are simply too weak to support their body weights that up till certain age of their lives, they have no choice but to perpetually stay in sitting position with many of them squashed by other chicken as the space was too constrained.
In order to gain quick money within the shortest time possible, humans invent myriad ways to obtain high yields from animals. The fates of these animals are way ahead decided from the moment they are born. It is sad to know that Merino sheep need to suffer so much in order to satisfy our needs.
Without awareness, we are led to believe that animals are reared under good environment, that they don’t actually suffer so much for us. Now having come to know this, I am more aware of the origin of cotton and the wool industry in Australia in particular.
Thank you Rinpoche for alerting us on this topic with this blog.
namo buddhay this webside is amazing this motivate me and giving human values.i will homage to guru and they accept me his student
What is wrong with us humans that we can do these things? Shared on FB. Hopefully people will watch and feel as shocked and sick as I feel. I buy wool all the time, blissfully unaware of the cruelty I’m supporting. Thank you for sharing this video Rinpoche. I am so ignorant of the suffering of animals it’s shameful.
Will it be the same in New Zealand? Hmm.