February 2008
ABC's 7.30 Report airs an exposé of live animal exports featuring evidence gathered by Animals Australia investigators in the Middle East.
Animals Australia’s investigations spark calls for much-needed animal protection laws in the Middle East during an inaugural Middle East Animal Welfare Conference.
Evidence gathered by Animals Australia investigators also underpins an international coalition to end live animal exports.
March 2008
The Animals Australia Action Network is launched.
May 2008
Brutal facilities including a Jordanian slaughterhouse (which was a destination for some animals exported live from Australia) are closed down following Animals Australia's Middle East investigation and letters from the Animals Australia Action Network.
Animals Australia's public awareness postcard campaign, 'Recipe for Cruelty' wins first place in Avant Card's Postcard of the Year awards.
June 2008
Animals Australia launches a new website to raise awareness of battery hens and factory farmed 'meat chickens', FreeBetty.com.
Another new website is launched to highlight the impact that meat-eating has on the environment, human health, and animals, WhyVeg.com.
July 2008
'Lucy Speaks', a hard-hitting radio campaign to raise awareness about factory farmed pig products is aired on prime-time radio across Australia. A flood of public support for this unprecedented campaign extends air-time for successive weeks.
Werribee Zoo announces that they have axed plans to build a theme-park on their property following letters from the Animals Australia Action Network.
Animals Australia launches the Cage-Free Campus program, a student-led initiative to remove cruel cage eggs from campus food services.
August 2008
The success of the Lucy Speaks radio campaign sparks national and international media coverage on the plight of pigs in factory farms, including a front-page article in The Age.
October 2008
Channel 9's A Current Affair airs Animals Australia's live export investigation footage in an exposé on the cruelty of sending Australian animals to the Festival of Sacrifice.
Animals Australia publishes open letters in rural newspapers urging farmers not to export animals to the brutal 2008 Festival of Sacrifice.
November 2008
Animals Australia's cruelty investigations in the Middle East force new animal welfare regulations in Bahrain.
Animals Australia's legal counsel launches the Handbook of Australian Animal Cruelty Law to assist legal professionals to decipher convoluted and at-times contradictory state and federal laws, as well as to effectively represent and prosecute animal cruelty cases in Australia.
Animals Australia spearheads the annual national day of action against live animal exports, boosting the live export petition to over 200,000 signatures—the largest petition to be tabled in Australia in recent years.
December 2008
The successful 'Lucy Speaks' radio campaign is relaunched in December to encourage consumers to refuse to buy factory farmed Christmas ham.
February 2007
Today Tonight Channel 7’s flagship current affairs program shows footage from the latest Egypt investigation. Radio interviews conducted throughout Australia. No further animals have been exported to Egypt.
February 2007
Live Export company Emanuel Exports faces an 8 day trial on cruelty charges in the WA Magistrates Court based on Animals Australia’s cruelty complaint. Magistrate adjourns matter to consider her judgment.
March 2007
Charlotte’s Web is released on DVD throughout the world. Animals Australia and the rehoming of the ‘Wilburs’ is featured in an 8 minute segment titled ‘Where are They Now?’ promoting the uniqueness of pigs and the SaveBabe.com campaign.
April 2007
Animals Australia’s Lyn White is featured in The Bulletin in the Lunch with Juanita Phillips series talking about her investigations in the Middle East.
July 2007
Animals Australia features on the ABC’s rural program Landline talking about the need for reform in Australia’s animal protection laws.
August 2007
Over 170,000 signatures gathered on a petition to ban live animal exports to the Middle East.
September 2007
Animals Australia conducts its fourth investigation into the live export trade to the Middle East. Futher shocking video evidence of widespread cruelty to Australian animals was obtained.
October 2007
Video evidence of Animals Australia's September 2007 investigation into live export cruelty was aired on the ABC's 7:30 Report, sparking the greatest viewer feedback to their website ever—all calling for an end to the trade.
November 2007
As a direct result of Animals Australia's cruelty investigations, Egyptian media reports that no Australian sheep will be present for the 2007 'Feast of Sacrifice' due to animal welfare concerns—sparing tens of thousands of Australian animals from unimaginable suffering.
February 2006
60 Minutes Nine Network: ‘A Cruel Trade’ shows Australian viewers footage from Basateen Abattoir with Animals Australia’s Lyn White describing the terrible cruelty that investigators witnessed.
February 2006
The Howard government announces that the live trade to Egypt is suspended as a result of Animals Australia’s investigation. Footage taken in all countries is shown to Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran. As a result he orders that a ‘stock-take’ of Middle Eastern facilities be undertaken.
March 2006
The Australian Newpaper feature article: ‘Who talks for the animals? Animal rights activists are leaving the RSPCA for dead’, reports Richard Yallop.
October 2006
ABC TV Landline segment titled ‘Welfare changes flagged for pig industry’. Animals Australia’s Glenys Oogjes and Malcolm Caulfield interviewed.
October - November 2006
National advertising campaign highlighting the suffering in Australian pig industry factory farms in conjunction with Voiceless. Full page advertisements appeared in women’s magazines and billboards and on buses around Australia—resulting in a significant growth in public awareness of the cruelty endured by factory-farmed animals.
December 2006
Animals Australia’s Lyn White and independent investigator return to Egypt to document the treatment of the first shipment of Australian sheep sent to Egypt since the lifting of the government suspension. They document continual breaches of a new Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries as to how Australian animals must be treated.
January 2005
Animals Australia launches the first Supreme Court action ever on behalf of animals—a Writ of Mandamus—alleging that the WA government was failing to fulfil their duty to investigate the Al Kuwait live export cruelty complaint. The Supreme Court grants an Order Nisi determining that the WA government has a case to answer. Prior to the next court hearing the WA State Solicitor’s office announces that it will investigate the Al Kuwait case in conjunction with WA Police.
March 2005
National billboard campaign highlighting pig industry cruelty.
April 2005
Animals Australia assists Paramount Pictures to find good homes for life for the 45 piglet stars that appeared in the movie version of the children’s classic ‘Charlotte’s Web’. In return, Paramount Pictures makes a significant donation to Animals Australia’s SaveBabe.com campaign.
October 2005
Animals Australia’s live export complaint results in the first-ever cruelty charges laid against WA live export company Emanuel Pty Ltd and two company directors—rocking the live export industry.
December 2005
Animals Australia conducts its second Middle East investigation (in conjunction with PETA). Communication Director Lyn White and partner document appalling handling and slaughter of Australian animals in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt.
Footage obtained in Cairo’s huge Basateen abattoir reveals the most barbaric slaughter practices ever documented.
March 2004
60 Minutes Nine Network: End of the Line based on footage obtained of inhumane handling and slaughter during Animals Australia’s investigation in Kuwait. Animals Australia investigator and Communication Director Lyn White interviewed for the program.
March 2004
National billboard campaign highlighting the cruelty of the live export trade.
June 2004
ABC Four Corners current affairs program runs ‘Blind Eye’, focusing on the barriers put in place preventing Animals Australia’s WA cruelty complaint being investigated and the problems of animal cruelty investigation relating to farm animals in Australia.
June 2004
Due to inaction on the Al Kuwait/live export cruelty complaint by WA Police and RSPCA WA, Animals Australia lodges complaint with the Director General of the WA Department of Local Government and Regional Affairs, who have the responsibility for administrating the Animal Welfare Act. The first time that a cruelty complaint has been lodged directly with the government.
November 2004
ABC television Landline: Animals Australia investigation footage airs in a segment titled ‘Public opinion threatens live exports.’ Lyn White interviewed.
December 2004
Animals Australia launches SaveBabe.com: the first national public awareness campaign and website highlighting the suffering in Australia’s intensive pig industry. A national tour is conducted with ‘Babe’ star James Cromwell and piglet Bella attracting media in each state. Celebrities Jackie O’, Rebecca Gibney, Suzie Wilks and Jessica Napier provide their support to the campaign.
July 2003
60 Minutes Nine Network segment ‘Making a Killing’ exposing the suffering of Australian exported animals in Egypt and Israel
August 2003
Exposed to the Australian public the rejection of the Cormo Express by Saudi Arabia and forced the Federal government to publicly acknowledge the rejection of 57,000 sheep.
September 2003
60 Minutes Nine Network: Animals Australia alerted 60 Minutes to the location of the rejected Cormo Express which was being kept from the Australian public by the Federal government, resulting in a program Ship of Shame exposing what the 57,000 sheep would be enduring onboard the vessel. Animals Australia’s Executive Director Glenys Oogjes interviewed on the program.
November 2003
Animals Australia’s first investigation in the Middle East (in conjunction with Compassion in World Farming). Documented the treatment of Australian sheep on arrival in Kuwait through to slaughter. The first investigation of its type ever conducted.
December 2003
Benchmark complaint lodged with West Australian Police alleging that the live export shipment aboard the vessel Al Kuwait met by Animals Australia in Kuwait breached Section 19(3) of the WA Animal Welfare Act (transporting an animal in a manner likely to cause it unnecessary harm) in effect alleging that live export itself was breaching WA animal cruelty legislation (where 80% of the trade leaves from).
