SOURCE: ADVOCATES FOR ANIMALS, Scotland, UK.

NEWS RELEASE
Thursday 24th June 2004 - For Immediate Use

WIDESPREAD SUFFERING OF SCOTTISH SHEEP EXPOSED IN CRITICAL NEW REPORT

A new report, SILENT LAMBS: Sheep Welfare in Scotland has been produced by
Advocates for Animals, Scotland's leading animal protection organisation. It
is released today to coincide with the start of The Royal Highland Show, the
Scottish farming industry's showcase event. The public perception is that
sheep live idyllic lives. However, this comprehensive scientific report
exposes the truth about the reality of life for the 8 million sheep in
Scotland.

The damning report reveals major areas of concern including:

* Millions of Scottish sheep suffering unnecessarily from distressing but
preventable and treatable and diseases

* Hundreds of thousands, probably millions, of Scottish sheep and lambs
suffering unnecessarily from painful lameness each year, especially footrot

* Hundreds of thousands, probably millions, of sheep suffering
unnecessarily from preventable parasitic diseases such as sheep scab and
worms

* Millions of lambs unnecessarily and painfully mutilated by having their
tails removed and being castrated

* Shocking death-rates of up to 15% of lambs and 6% of ewes around lambing
time

* Diseases not being reported by farmers, potentially allowing the diseases
to spread

* Diseased sheep in large flocks or remote areas being left to suffer
without treatment

* Farmers diagnosing and treating diseases incorrectly and being slow to
obtain veterinary assistance

* Lack of coordinated collection of data on disease prevalence, and the
probability that reported cases may be only the 'tip of the iceberg'

* Lack of inspections and enforcement of welfare standards on farms

* Assurance Scheme welfare standards little more than minimum legal
requirements

* Continuing reliance on livestock markets which are known to be stressful
and harbour and spread infectious diseases

* The payment in subsidies of over #70 million of taxpayers' money each
year to Scottish sheep farmers

The report makes numerous recommendations, which Advocates for Animals
believes must be acted upon urgently by the sheep industry and the Scottish
Executive.

Advocates for Animals' Director, Ross Minett, says:

"Many people believe that sheep live an idyllic life, grazing in open
fields. However, as our report has clearly revealed, behind this image, the
sheep industry as a whole presides over endemic neglect and a failure to
tackle issues of health and welfare that leads to suffering for millions of
animals every year. It is unacceptable for any animal to be left to suffer,
for whatever reason, when intervention could prevent or relieve its misery.

Sheep farmers cannot expect to continue to receive vast amounts of taxpayers
' money through subsidies, whilst the standards of sheep welfare are so
substandard.

We also believe that, as with other businesses involving animals, farmers,
animal dealers and workers should be licensed and independently assessed.
Anyone unable to provide good standards of animal welfare and husbandry, for
whatever reason, should be prohibited from keeping sheep."

- ENDS -