London, 10 October 2024 – Australia supplies most of the world’s wool, however there is a dark side to wool from this region. FOUR PAWS, alongside other animal welfare organisations, released a new report revealing the industry's failure to eliminate the outdated practice of live lamb cutting (mulesing). Had industry leaders followed through on the phase-out promise they made in 2004, around 140 million lambs could have been spared from this brutal treatment. In recognition of two decades of suffering, FOUR PAWS has launched the 'Be Their Voice' campaign, featuring support from international celebrities like Australian actress Danielle Macdonald and US actor Scott Evans, who advocate for lambs who cannot speak for themselves. The campaign urges brands and policymakers to ban live lamb cutting by 2030.

The cutting of live lambs (also known as mulesing) is an outdated and cruel practice. Young animals anywhere from 2 –12 weeks old, are separated from their mothers are strapped upside down into a metal crate. They then have the skin around their buttocks sheared off with metal cutters, often with inadequate or even no pain relief.

The aim is to stop flystrike, which is caused when a blowfly lays eggs in folds of skin on the animal and the emerging larvae create an open wound as they feed on the underlying skin tissue. However, the wool industry has failed to invest in and promote a known, humane solution that has existed for decades – breeding flystrike resistant sheep types.

Emily Wilson, Head of Programmes & Campaigns at FOUR PAWS UK, said “Cutting flesh and skin off live lambs is a grotesque and agonising practice. The amount of skin sliced off an estimated 140 million live lambs since 2010, could fill three Olympic-sized swimming pools. And even after enduring all that, these lambs can still suffer from fly strike, as it can occur in skin wrinkles anywhere on the body.” 

Even Jo Hall, CEO of Wool Producers Australia, the same body that defends the cruel procedure of live lamb cutting, said: “Seriously anyone who tries to claim that mulesing does not cause pain is living in Disneyland.” Back in 2004, the industry announced a phase-out that never happened. 

Be Their Voice campaign backed by celebrities 

FOUR PAWS is launching the Be Their Voice campaign on the 20th anniversary of the Australian wool industry’s broken promise to end live lamb cutting. Through the imaginative story of lamb Sunny, people discover the harsh reality of live lamb cutting. With the help of Australian actress Danielle Macdonald recognised for her roles in Dumplin' alongside Jennifer Aniston, and Bird Box together with Sandra Bullock, and American actor and producer Scott Evans known for his performances in Grace and Frankie and the blockbuster Barbie, Sunny's story comes to life, with the hope of inspiring millions to be Sunny’s voice and demand a ban on live lamb cutting. “Be their voice” is both an outcry for public awareness as well as an artistic masterpiece.

Macdonald says: “Supporting FOUR PAWS and giving lambs like Sunny a voice was a no-brainer for me. The idea to explain a brutal animal welfare issue in an easy to understand and creative way really resonated with me. Sunny’s fate is a representation of the fate of millions of other lambs and by giving her a stage, we can shine a light on all the suffering lambs in Australia.”