A disturbing new PETA video exposé of the Australian wool industry—the world’s top wool exporter—reveals that extreme cruelty to sheep continues unabated. Exposés in dozens of shearing sheds on three continents show workers punch, kick, cut up, stomp on, mutilate, and throw sheep down chutes like garbage bags.
This latest exposé shows more of the same—sheep shearers in Australia violently punched these gentle animals in the face and beat and jabbed them in the head with sharp metal shears. The attacks often left the petrified sheep bleeding from the eyes, nose, and mouth.
After PETA exposed rampant extreme cruelty to sheep across Australia in 2014, the video evidence resulted in landmark cruelty convictions against shearers, and the wool industry assured the public that such abuse would no longer be tolerated. But as this exposé shows, absolutely nothing has changed for sheep, and the cruelty is as severe as ever.
Workers Stomped on Terrified Sheep
PETA’s video exposé highlights just some of the beatings and systemic suffering that investigators uncovered in an industry in which abuse is pervasive. The eyewitness saw cruelty in every one of the four Australian sheds visited across New South Wales and Victoria—Australia’s top wool-producing states.
When these prey animals panicked—terrified at being pinned down—the shearers stomped on them and stood on their heads and necks. They threw the petrified sheep around and slammed their heads and bodies against the floor.
Cut Up and Shoved Down Chutes
Shearers are often paid by volume, not by the hour, which encourages fast, reckless work and can lead to severe injuries to the sheep, including cutting off large swaths of skin. Australian media have documented that many workers take illegal drugs to help them work even faster.
When workers were finished shearing, they shoved the sheep down chutes like they were garbage bags. The eyewitness saw one worker lift up a sheep by the leg, stomp on her head, strike her with his knee, and then throw her into a chute.
Gaping Wounds Sewn Up Without Pain Relief
Workers didn’t give sheep any painkillers before using a needle and thread to try to sew up gaping, bloody wounds caused by shearing. The investigator never saw injured sheep provided with any veterinary care.
You Can Help Stop This!
It’s clear that cruelty to sheep is rampant in the wool industry, no matter where it comes from or what assurances the companies and the industry give. Please, help sheep now by refusing to buy wool. It’s easy to check the label when you’re shopping. If it says “wool,” just leave it on the shelf.
Do more: Urge Express and Forever 21 to drop wool in favor of animal-friendly materials.