Content warning: This story contains a graphic image.
PETA Australia has had its latest anti-mulesing billboard rejected by an advertising agency that deemed it too graphic.
The billboard depicts a sheep's bloody backside is accompanied by the words, "Did your jumper cause a bloody butt? Mulesing: still a real pain in the arse. Wear vegan."
The billboard was set to be erected at three sites across Melbourne in Collingwood, Fitzroy and St Kilda in an effort to remind consumers that mulesing remains what PETA suggests is a, "cruel and painful practice."
PETA Australia spokesperson Emily Rice said that despite there being mandatory pain relief in Victoria during the process, the organisation wants to see the practice banned completely.
"If this image is too painful to look at, you can imagine how it must feel to have it done to you.
"Mandatory pain relief in Victoria is a minuscule step in the right direction.
"However, we won't celebrate until this horrific practice is banned for good," she said.
Mulesing is a process where flesh is cut off a sheep's backside to prevent flies from laying eggs in the folds of the sheep's skin.
PETA alleges that this process wouldn't have to be undertaken if sheep, "weren't bred to have more wool than they need."
In 2018, New Zealand banned the procedure and on 17 June 2020, the New South Wales Government established an inquiry into a proposed bill which aims to stop the practice.
The objectives of the New South Wales Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment (Restrictions on Stock Animal Procedures) Bill 2019 are, "to prohibit the performance of the Mules operation on sheep, and to require the administration of pain relief in certain procedures involving stock animals."
Ad standards
PETA objects to the rejection of its ad on the grounds that, "since millions of sheep are forced to endure this archaic and horrific procedure in the wool industry, those who buy wool should see the truth."
However, the advertisement's rejection may have been informed by Australia's advertising standards.
When it comes to animal cruelty, the Ad Standards' community panel's view is that, "advertising which shows people interacting with animals in a cruel or unhealthy way which could be copied by members of the community, will be found to be in breach of the Code."
However, this ad doesn't show humans interacting with the sheep, rather the end result of the mulesing process.
Ragtrader understands that the advertisement is likely to fall under the 'community awareness' category which the community panel states, "advertisements which portray realistic and graphic situations intended to evoke a strong reaction in the community in response to an important call to action, or awareness raising, is a justifiable use of violence."
However, as the advertisement was set to be displayed on billboards throughout Melbourne, it may have been seen by children.
This is where the community panel states that, "images of a highly violent and graphic nature are not appropriate in any circumstances when they are likely to be seen by children."
To see the full ad, click to the second image in the gallery above - content warning: graphic image.