Our Cruelty Free Wool
While I knew all about the terrible practice that is mulesing, researching it in detail and seeing countless horrific images is a whole other thing. I do believe it's important to tell their story though, and help conscious consumers be able to make more informed choices.
I have intentionally NOT displayed any traumatic images, as the words speak for themselves and google is always available if you must see.
I've heard many people wonder why some
animal lovers won't wear wool, being that the animal doesn't need to be killed to produce the fibre.
We're just shearing them aren't we?
Well no, not quite.
What they may not be aware of is the awful practice of mulesing.
Sheep, especially merino sheep have lots of woolly wrinkles and folds on their hind skin and butts. When this area stays constantly moist (due to urine and faeces remaining in place), flies and blowflies lay eggs on and around the area. These eggs hatch into larvae which feed on the skin of the sheep, and can eventually cause flystrike which is often fatal if left untreated.
Most Australian sheep farmers prevent this happening through the process of mulesing.
The RSPCA say, "Mulesing is a painful procedure that involves cutting crescent shaped flaps of skin from around a lamb's breech and tail using sharp shears designed
specifically for this purpose. The resulting wound, when healed, creates an area of bare, stretched scar tissue".
The rough, bare skin cannot be penetrated by flies or blowflies, meaning the lamb should not be affected by flystrike.
The main problem is that this procedure is done without any kind of anaesthesia or pain relief. The lamb is usually between 2 - 10 weeks old, and often has other practices performed at the same time; tail docking, ear cutting, and castration - again, without the use of anaesthesia or pain relief.
Shockingly, mulesing is still legal in Australia, however Victoria and Tasmania have recently legislated that pain relief must be used when sheep are being mulesed.
New Zealand however, led the way (once again) by banning the practice of mulesing altogether in 2018.
They are currently breeding super woolly butts OUT of their sheep (bare breech), so flystrike is no longer a concern.
And it only takes 3-5 generations – which is only around 3-5 years in sheep.
As traders who work with wool we want to be accountable for what we buy, and what we sell to you all.
And we cannot, in good conscience sell wool from sheep that have had this procedure done to them.
Until Australia catches up with other international countries, we will only work with makers and small businesses in Nepal that purchase wool from un-mulesed sheep, ensuring all our wool and merino wool pieces are cruelty free.
This is an awful, inhumane practice being done to our animals, and alternatives need to become mainstream in Australia as well.
Aside from ensuring your wool purchases
are mulesing free, you can write to your local MP telling her / him that this issue is important to you as a constituent, and that you would like them to support banning mulesing as a practice. They will reply to you, and imagine if everyone did it - it does help!
And while you're there, you might as well mention puppy farms too!
Download the Humane Societies guide to brands who commit to using un-mulesed wool.
It's the least we can do to help our beautiful hoofed, pawed, scaled and winged brothers and sisters.
Until next time,
Mel Xx
Image Credits
Four Paws Australia
Live Kindly
Sources
RSPCA
Four Paws Australia
