Now that sheep are recognised to be sentient - they feel and have emotions - any human treatment of sheep which does not display awareness of this is unacceptable. Required is fundamental change of outlook and way on the part of humans.

Of the many things salient to an improvement in sheep’s welfare, three stand out: sentience; live exports; rough handling. One of them is fundamental and paramount. It is sentience. With human recognition of sheep’s sentience, human behaviour must change accordingly. The totality of human’s treatment of sheep must show cognisance that sheep are sentient. As part of this, two things need to stop: live exports; rough handling. If sheep are accepted to be sentient - to have feelings and to experience emotions - live exports of sheep must be seen as unacceptable and obsolete, and rough handling of sheep must be regarded as uncaring, and not to be allowed.

Humans attach considerable importance to their dignity being preserved by others. They expect, too, to be treated with respect.  But humans’ tendency is not to see sheep as being similarly deserving. Sheep farmers, the sheep farming community, and those others whose activity involves sheep, display the attitude that sheep are for their, and other humans’, uses. They fail to demonstrate in what they do with sheep that they recognise sheep as worthy of their own dignity being kept and of being respected.