Inform vets about the realities of kangaroo meat

Copy the, "Do not support kangaroo in pet food letter" below and send to your local vet. This letter shows you are not just an individual but a supporter of the Kangaroos Alive organisation. Send the letter by email or ideally deliver in-person to your vet, particularly if the clinic sells kangaroos meat products. Thank you. 

Dear Vet Surgeons and staff, 

Kangaroos and wallabies are the only Australian native animal hunted specifically for the pet food trade. Do you know the brutal reality of the commercial kangaroo industry? 

A recent NSW parliamentary inquiry into the Health and Wellbeing of Kangaroos has released its findings and they are shocking. 

The parliamentary inquiry found that there is no monitoring of commercial kangaroo shooters at the point of kill. This lack of any regulation has caused an animal welfare crisis, with data presented to the inquiry showing that up to 40% of kangaroos are mis-shot and left to die painful slow deaths. 

The inquiry also found that neither Federal or State governments keep any records of how many baby joeys are killed. We have no idea how many baby joeys are killed each year. The baby joeys are the forgotten animal in the pet food trade. After the kangaroo mother is shot by commercial shooters, the joey is wrenched from its pouch and bashed to death or decapitated, while the at-foot dependent joeys are left to die as orphans from starvation, dehydration, stress and predation. 

The parliamentary inquiry reported that the commercial shooters are not monitored and are not required to report how many joeys they kill and how they do it! 

The killing of kangaroos is the world's largest land-based wildlife slaughter in the world and the inquiry found “kangaroo numbers are in serious decline with mobs becoming marginalised and fragmented throughout the landscape”.

"Kangaroo meat is known to be contaminated on occasion with Salmonella spp, high levels of e. coli, Toxoplasmosis, and Listeria, and Coxiella” Dr Dror Ben-Ami, University of Tel Aviv. 

As a result of this shocking new evidence several big brands in Europe have stopped using PO BOX 3324, TAMARAMA, NSW 2026 www.KangaroosAlive.org kangaroo meat and skins, brands like Prada, Versace, and Carrefour supermarkets. A bill is being prepared to put before the European Union to ban all imports of kangaroo meat and skins. 

A recent ABC TV 730 story on the NSW Inquiry is available to watch https://www.facebook.com/702550123508373/videos/411660887253188 

Kangaroos have inhabited the Australian continent for over 20 million years, living in peace and ecological harmony and they are a sacred totem for our First Nation People. 

The truth has been uncovered by this parliamentary inquiry. We now know how cruel and barbaric the commercial killing of kangaroos is. 

It is time to stop the killing of our kangaroos. For the health of our pets they should not be eating pet food with kangaroo in it. 

Your surgery could lead the way and not to condone or support this barbaric behaviour. We ask you to stop selling pet food made from kangaroos. 

Our supporters want to go public with a campaign to stop kangaroos being used for pet food. We look forward to your response. 

Regards, 

Mick McIntyre 

Executive Director 

Kangaroos Alive