An urgent appeal to help animals suffering in rural areas

We hope you have a few moments to read this; a case of terrible cruelty and neglect of 70 sheep. Unfortunately this is just one of many cases like it. Animal Liberation takes more than 300 calls a year about similar cases of cruelty and neglect. Investigating and alleviating cruelty, and bringing a change of attitudes towards farm animals is costly but we must continue to improve the lives of animals.

The following story, by our investigator Tim, is harrowing. At the time of writing Tim is still trying to bring some action against the farmer responsible. The sheep involved should never have been left to die in the state they did.

Neglect of fly-struck sheep

There were carcasses such as these roughly every 10 square metres. From the very front of the street access, you can see the fence. Photo: Animal Liberation.

In one of the many calls Animal Liberation receives through its free-call 1800 Cruelty hotline, I received a call from an irate farmer named Bill*. He told me about a paddock full of fly struck sheep being left to die. After some discussion I was on my way to the paddock, near Mudgee in NSW. Bill had told me he tried everyone, including authorities, seeking urgent help but no one would help the dying sheep. He then phoned Animal Liberation. He also told me farmers can do what they want and there is no one to hold them accountable. When we arrived at the paddock we saw that there were carcasses roughly every 10 square metres.

The exact cause of death wasn't obvious but the general neglect was. A dead little lamb we observed never had a chance. Many other animals had fly-strike and pizzle rot and some were still alive and suffering. We tried to document what we saw using photographs and video. During our filming the “owner” of the sheep arrived. I had to stand between Bill and this farmer. I said to the farmer that this was the most horrific cruelty I have seen and that I would do everything I could to have him prosecuted. But my first priority was to alleviate the suffering of the sheep. I went to the Mudgee police station and though the officers said this was urgent, nothing was done.

The cause of death of this little lamb is uncertain but it never had a chance. Photo: Animal Liberation.

The following day I presented my case to Constable McDougall from Mudgee Police. I told him that of the 70 sheep, 16 were dead and many more were dying from fly-strike. Even after Constable McDougall saw the video footage nothing was done. I said to him that this was a breach of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and that I had a letter from Police Assistant Commissioner Bradshaw assuring Animal Liberation that breaches of the Act would be thoroughly and professionally acted upon. McDougall told me he’d have a look and get back to me.

I was not going to leave until something was done for those sheep. I constantly phoned Mudgee, Merriwa and Cassilus police to find out what was going on. The inaction got to me, so I drove back to the paddock to see if the sheep were still there. They were. However they had been rounded up in a pen with no shade on a day above 30 degrees. I couldn't see the dead sheep so I knew a clean up had taken place, but the animals left behind were clearly still suffering. Constable McDougall was satisfied he’d done his job. I wasn’t.

This was fly-strike and pizzle rot, this animal is still alive. Photo: Animal Liberation.

We are now in the process of convening a meeting between Police Commissioner Bradshaw and the officer involved, together with a veterinarian to address the injustices of this case. Animal Liberation is starting a process of education for these officers. We are also in discussions with local television about a fly-strike campaign using the images we took of these sheep. While there was some relief for the remaining sheep this case highlights the indifference by some farmers to animals in Australia.

I do not want those sheep to have died in vain. Animal Liberation is asking authorities like the police to prosecute people like this farmer.

If you agree that the work we are doing through the 1800 Cruelty hotline is important, please consider donating to our cause. These types of investigation can be costly and involve us travelling far afield, but we must investigate cases of animal cruelty that no other organisation is willing to investigate. It is only your support that ensures we continue our work for farm animals, as we receive no government funding whatsoever. At the time of writing we are trying to begin a prosecution against this farmer.

Thank you,
Tim - Animal Liberation investigator

You can anonymously report cases of animal cruelty on 1800 751 770.

* Bill was not our informant’s real name, which we have changed here to protect his anonymity.

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