THE live export industry cannot guarantee an incident like that in Pakistan won't happen again.
Three researchers who spoke on an online briefing today organised by the Australian Science Media Centre conceded the Pakistan sheep cruelty case could be repeated.
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The briefing was organised to give more information on live animal exports, following the airing of the 4 Corners program last week.
It showed the inhumane treatment of sheep which had originally been sent to Bahrain, but after being rejected, ended up in Pakistan.
Associate Professor Wayne Pitchford from the University of Adelaide said "things will go wrong again".
"You don't have control over some things ... and situations like that will happen again," he said.
Charles Sturt University researcher Dr Rebecca Doyle said the current system "was not perfect".
"We want to make it as close to 100 per cent as we can," she said.
"You can never have a 100 per cent guarantee about anything but by improving ways ... you can guarantee that you can get as close to perfect as you can."
All three researchers spoke of the gains made in animal welfare, lead by the work done in ensuring Australian animals were well treated when they were exported.
This, they said, was helping improve animal welfare standards across the world.
University of Melbourne director of animal welfare Professor Paul Hemsworth said the live export issue need to be put into perspective.
"Do we ask pet show owners to give a guarantee that animals they sell are well treated," he said.
"The key is to educate animal users, whether they be cattle, sheep, dogs or cats.
"The key is education and training for people who deal with animals."
The briefing also discussed the Export Supply Chain Assurance Scheme, the system designed to protect animals when they are exported.
ESCAS was in place for the sheep which ended up in Pakistan, but did not prevent them from being inhumanely treated.
