Rejected Australian sheep bound for atoll

[T_i_B]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/animalrights/story/0,11917,1065000,00.html

An isolated coral atoll in the Indian Ocean will be the destination of 52,000 Australian sheep stranded in the Gulf for two months.
The Cormo Express set sail from Kuwait yesterday bound for the Cocos Islands, a ring of 27 islands 1,680 miles north of Perth with a population of just 640 and owned by Australia.

The boat left after weeks of deadlock sparked off by Saudi Arabia's refusal to allow the animals into the country. Quarantine inspectors said they had found unacceptably high levels of scabby mouth disease, but the claim was contested by the Australian-registered vet on board the Cormo.

The islands are serviced by a single flight a week from Perth. A third of the population works for the Australian government. Ethnic Malays, who make up the remainder, farm coconuts, ostrich and alpacas.

West Island in the archipelago has a £3m quarantine station, but it will be unable to support the number of sheep and the Cormo Express will anchor six miles offshore

[Jim Sagle]

1. "unacceptably high levels of scabby mouth disease"?

Maybe they're related to Ann Coulter. ;)

[T_i_B]

3. When I saw a story about Australian Sheep

I half expected a few jokes about John Howard supporters!

[bitchkitty]

4. My stomach hurts

I haven't laughed like that in I don't know when, thank you JIm!

[speckledgator]

2. Maybe...

when they counted up all the saudis with scabby mouth...they would have exceeded the limit as put forth in UN Resolution#911

[pinniped]

5. Bushvan the Terrible can join those sheep.

He also has scabby mouth disease and come next year will also be rejected.

[joshcryer]

6. Why not put the things out of thier misery?

I don't understand this...

...sink the ship.

[Don_G]

7. Odd Isn't It

Sheep in Asia, Dimbo in Asia.

Sheep isolated, Shrub isolated.

Sheep diseased, George the Second rabid.

Flock serviced occassonally, Chimpy serviced occassionally.

Sheep quarantined; UN quarantines the US.

Is there a pattern here?

[TomNickell]

8. 52 THOUSAND? On one boat? Baaaaaaaaaaaa

Not that it matters much, but surely there is an error here.

52,000? On one boat? (OK, Ship?)