The federal government will inquire into allegations Australian sheep ready for slaughter were mistreated in the Middle East.
The Department of Agriculture is investigating reports from animal welfare groups that thousands of sheep were found outside animal welfare-approved abattoirs in Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates during the recent Muslim festival of Eid al Adha.
"The department will thoroughly investigate these breaches - no shortcuts are taken as is the case with all such allegations," a spokesman for Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce told AAP.
Animals Australia says it has footage showing sheep being bundled into car boots in 40 degree heat by locals to be taken for slaughter outside of approved abattoirs.
Live exporters have previously self-reported the incidents, saying there could have been 1000 or so sheep discovered outside of approved supply chains.
Mr Joyce has left the door open to fining or suspending the licences of exporters found in breach of Australia's animal welfare export rules.
But he cautioned against pre-emtive action.
"I don't believe that threatening to go public and start shutting somebody down is the approach because that is what we do privately," he told ABC TV on Tuesday.
The has RSPCA demanded urgent action and called for licence suspensions for exporters found in breach of the rules.
"Every year for over a decade, there has been appallingly brutal treatment of Australian animals across the Middle East during the Eid," chief science and strategy officer Bidda Jones said in a statement.
"Yet every year the government issues more permits for the same markets to the same export companies - enough is enough."
