/ 5 October 1999

GHIAZZA CONSIGNMENT BOUND FOR CHINA

A SINGAPORE Airline flight carrying a consignment of wild animals bound for a Chinese safari park left as scheduled on Tuesday, a spokesman for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said. NSPCA executive director Marcelle French said all 167 animals being exported by controversial game exporter Riccardo Ghiazza had been declared fit to travel when the plane left Johannesburg International airport for Guangzou at 12.54pm. The NSPCA was the only animal welfare organisation given permission by the Airports Company to inspect the animals. French said the organisation was opposed to the export of animals because of the lack of proper planning or legislation governing who could purchase the animals. French pointed out that China did not have the best record when it came to animal rights. According to the NSPCA, the cargo included 10 white rhino, four Cape foxes, four Bat-eared foxes, 10 wild dogs, 11 black wildebeest, 26 gemsbok, 12 kudu and and 32 white and black springbok.