Animal Liberation SA policy summary

Animal Liberation SA promotes an attitude of respect and consideration for all sentient animals, regardless of species, and opposes all forms of exploitation purely for human benefit.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to the slaughter of animals for human consumption and promotes a vegetarian, and especially a vegan diet. Vegetarian diets are demonstrably healthy and do not involve animal suffering and death.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to intensive farming because it restricts exercise to an unacceptable degree and inhibits the animals' instinctive behaviour patterns. While people continue to eat animal products, the animals should at least be kept in the best possible conditions.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to the keeping of laying hens in battery cages. All hens must have a nest for laying, material for dustbathing, scratching and pecking, a perch, and enough space to exercise freely, including wing flapping.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to the keeping of broiler chickens in crowded, dark sheds. All chickens must have access to an outside run to increase exercise and strengthen bones, thereby reducing the problems of lameness and heart disease caused by a too rapid growth rate.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to the intensive confinement of pigs in dry sow stalls, farrowing crates and crowded pens. All pigs must have access to bedding material such as straw or rice hulls, be able to move freely, and be kept in suitable social groups.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to feedlots for fattening beef cattle or increasing milk production in dairy cattle. In feedlots, cattle are fed an unnatural diet, have restricted movement and often no shade, which has led to many deaths from heat stress. Animal Liberation SA is also opposed to confinement of veal calves, the most intensive form being veal crates.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to keeping sheep in paddocks without adequate shade and shelter, and shearing in the coldest months of the year. Many sheep have died of hypothermia as a result. All sheep, especially when newly shorn or very young, must have protection from adverse weather in the form of sheds, shelter belts and/or sheep coats.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to mutilations carried out on farm animals, including debeaking hens, tail docking pigs, sheep and sometimes dairy cattle, branding cattle, mulesing sheep, dehorning cattle, spaying cattle, castrating sheep, cattle and sometimes pigs, and tooth clipping pigs. Husbandry practices should be changed to render these painful mutilations unnecessary. Where surgery is carried out for the benefit of the individual animal, it must be done by a veterinary surgeon using anaesthetic and analgesia.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to the live export of animals for slaughter overseas, involving mainly sheep but also smaller numbers of cattle and goats. The voyage is extremely stressful, animals die en route, and on arrival they are slaughtered in a painful manner while fully conscious.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to the use of animals in experimentation and in teaching, where that use results in animals being killed, suffering pain, physical discomfort or psychological distress, or being kept in restricted conditions that do not meet their physical and behavioural needs. Animal Liberation SA supports the use of the vast array of alternatives to animals that already exists in teaching. Animal Liberation SA also supports the use and continued expansion of non-animal methods in research. Animal Liberation SA supports preventative medicine, in particular a healthy lifestyle to avoid illnesses. Many serious illnesses that are becoming increasingly common are preventable in this way.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to keeping animals as companions unless all their needs can be fully met and they are not unduly restricted. Animals must not be caught from the wild for the pet trade. Animal Liberation SA supports responsible care of companions, including desexing to avoid overbreeding, identification, adequate attention and exercise, and an environment that meets the behavioural needs of the species.

Animal Liberation is opposed to the commercial exploitation of wildlife, as in the kangaroo industry or emu farming. Animal Liberation SA is also opposed to the killing of native animals as "pests", particularly when extremely cruel methods are used, as in steel-jaw traps for dingoes and poisons for wallabies. Animal Liberation SA supports non-lethal deterrents to keep animals out of desired areas, and fertility control measures where populations need to be reduced.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to the inhumane killing of non-native wild animals. Animal Liberation SA supports continued research into fertility control measures to reduce populations of these animals, an approach that is not only more humane, but also more effective in the long run.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to recreational fishing. Hooking fish causes pain and distress, and their death by suffocation on land is slow and stressful. Animal Liberation supports non-harmful ways of enjoying aquatic environments.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to all forms of recreational hunting, including duck shooting. Apart from killing, hunting also causes injuries and distress. Animal Liberation SA supports non-harmful ways of enjoying wildlife.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to rodeos because animals are subjected to physical discomfort and the risk of injury.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to the use of animals in circuses because a travelling show can never provide an adequate environment for these animals. Animal Liberation SA supports human circus acts.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to the horse racing industry, especially jump racing. Racing subjects horses to the risk of injury and even death, and the many unsuccessful horses bred by the industry are likely to be sent to slaughter.

Animal Liberation SA is opposed to the keeping of animals in zoos unless all their behavioural needs can be met, including needs for space, social groupings and environmental features. No animals should be caught from the wild for zoos, and zoos should not breed animals who do not have a guaranteed and satisfactory home.