Dr Lynn Simpson, a well-known former live export veterinarian, on the long journey ahead for thousands of animals heading from Australia to Israel via the west coast of Africa. This past weekend the Dareen rounded Yemen within missile range, then passed the Rubymar as she slid under the sea forever after being hit by missiles weeks ago. She finally passed through Babel Mendab within waving distance of shore and the Houthi nilitia, while carrying about 26,000 Australian sheep, permitted by the Australian government. Allowing thousands of unconsenting live animals to risk missile strikes and any subsequent injuries or deaths during these uncertain, escalating times of conflict is risky, irresponsible and foolhardy. As if to tempt fate the Australian government has decided to take an extra gamble with thousands of animal lives and allow the Bahijah to reload in Fremantle to try again to reach Israel. The Bahijah has already had one failed attempt this year culminating in over 40 pointless, stressful, fatiguing days at sea for nearly 17,000 animals that entered the live export chain of accumulative stressors in December last year. The ship and all surviving animals returned to Fremantle and were unloaded. Australia is unfortunately a gambling nation and this behaviour is not limited to onshore casinos, nothing appears safe from the lure of making money. One must wonder, is the government just giving the trade ‘enough rope’ and planning to use the next impending disaster as the final catalyst to legislate and end date for this trade? Are they that devious? The animals have no choice whether they are part of this game. They are clearly bred to be killed and eaten. The sensible and most humane practice would be to slaughter and process them as humanely as possible, as close as possible to the farm to which they were born. This business model provides greater regional Australian jobs, animal welfare security and less international public relations nightmares that live exports are so well known for. Local, domestic processing is what happens to the extraordinarily vast majority of animals produced for food in Australia. The frozen and chilled meat export industry completely dwarfs the draconian and cruel live animal exports by sea. No refrigerated shipping containers ever make the news. Live sheep exports by sea made up less than 0.1% of agricultural exports from Australia in 2022/2023. We do not need it. Reports from industry stating that left over animals from the first failed voyage of the Bahijah have already been happily purchased by local processors puts to bed all the farming fearmongering of there being no capacity to have these animals slaughtered in Australia. This also brings into question the veiled tantrums being spread about left over Bahjah sheep having to be shot by the feedlot workers and whatever warped guilt trip that was meant to elicit. Remember these animals are destined to be killed, the question is where?. It does not happen magically, either a responsible farmer will humanely shoot animals with no financial value or future, or more commonly a professional slaughterman will. Keep a thought for the person who shot and processed the next meat pie or chop on your plate. Killing animals is not a unique emergency measure brought about by perceived interference by animal advocates. Animals are deliberately killed and eaten every minute of every day in this world. Being shoved on a ship to suffer a voyage first is not saving the