Qatar maintains that the live sheep it purchased from the same shipment rejected by Bahrain for being infected with disease is safe to eat, media reports state.

Qatar bought the sheep from an Australian sheep, the MV Ocean Drover, last month.

Drover had set sail for the Middle East in early August and offloaded some 46,000 sheep into Qatar and 7,000 into Oman two weeks later, ABC reports.

But Bahrain has rejected the remaining 22,000 sheep, saying the livestock was diseased with “scabby mouth,” which is caused by a virus that could infect humans.

Qatar’s Ministry oF Environment, however, said earlier this week that the shipment imported by Mawashi was free from all diseases.

A Mawashi official also added that the cost of sheep may increase next year is the price of grain continues to rise internationally.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has agreed to accept the Drover’s remaining livestock, which has concerned animal welfare rights groups because the sheep have been stranded at sea for two weeks in 40C weather.

Thoughts?

Credit: Photo by Andreas Cappell