Animals\' Angels - wir sind bei den Tieren | we are there with the animals

Animals’ Angels attend the Muchea Saleyard where approx 2000 cattle and calves are being sold. The new yard is undercover and water is in every cattle pen although the calves have no water. The cattle have soft ground but the calves are on concrete and have no feed either. Except for one calf which was segregated because he was unable to use his leg to support his weight and walk normally, the rest of the animals are in reasonable to good condition. We asked that the calf in question be either treated or shot immediately because we had every belief the young animal was in pain, but the yard wanted to wait. The State Animal Welfare Inspectorate was not present because the State Government has stopped the funding which enabled the Inspectorate to employ Animal Welfare Inspectors. WA has just 1 State Animal Welfare Inspector for all of the state. Animal welfare is clearly not a priority to this WA Government.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS attend the Katanning Saleyard where approx 23000 sheep are for sale. 35 sheep have been found in the reject pen because they are unfit for sale for human consumption. These animals are destined for a pet-food knackery which is an additional concern as some may not be fit for transport. Animals’ Angels asks the acting manager to shoot 8. Very little over-penning in sale pens but we find what we believe to be a small number of unfits in selling pens. We observe a driver using an electrical shock prodder on the face of sheep when loading for a slaughterhouse. He also used an unmuzzled dog and belted sheep with a piece of polypipe. The State Animal Welfare Inspectorate was not present because the State Government has stopped the funding which enabled the Inspectorate to employ Animal Welfare Inspectors. WA has just 1 State Animal Welfare Inspector for all of the state. Animal welfare is clearly not a priority to this WA Government.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS inspects Sugarcreek Auction. This was the first sale after Bakers announced that the EU regulations would be in effect and every seller had to provide documentation about the history of the horse he planned on selling. Apparently this caused many sellers to stay away from the sale since the “kill pen” remained half empty. Investigators noted that the same horse they had seen two weeks earlier with fresh injuries had returned to the auction and was in Baker’s pen. The injuries were still visible and a slaughter tag was attached to her hip. Fortunately, after alerting rescue organizations about her presence, she was saved and we have been told she is on her way to recovery.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS inspects La Junta Horse Sale: 161 horses were sold during this monthly auction, among them several emaciated mares. In one of the pens the investigators noted three horses with wire around their noses. The wire was so tight that it was cutting into the soft skin. The investigators informed the auction management and requested the removal of the wire. However, management refused to do anything. Several kill buyers were present at the sale. The investigators observed Carters’ driver move horses with the help of an electric prod. He was prodding them in their faces and eyes, which caused the animals to panic. They rushed into the double deck trailer and several slip and fell on the steep ramp. Among the ones loaded was an extremely emaciated, pregnant mare. The truck then headed to the Morton slaughter horse feedlot in Texas. ANIMALS’ ANGELS will make this auction a priority to ensure improvement of the unacceptable conditions.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS inspects Centennial Auction. At this weekly auction, all the horses had access to clean water and hay. However, none of the 52 pigs and approx. 900 sheep and goats had any water in their pens. In one of the pens, investigators observed a young alpaca with a broken hind leg. It was holding the leg up and could not put any weight on it. The investigators pointed the distressed animal out to the auction veterinarian, who checked on it. The animal did not go through the sale and the owner was told to pick the animal up and get veterinary care for the injury. Charles Carter, local kill buyer, was observed buying 16 horses. Immediately after the sale ended at 4:25pm, he loaded all of them on his stock trailer and left. Carter ships several times a week to the slaughter plants in Mexico.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS investigators again observe several horses in deplorable condition: One draft horse with a broken hip, one horse with long hooves, one horse with a severe eye infection. One horse was delivered to the auction with a deep cut on his buttock and cuts all over his face. The deep cut was initially held together with duct tape, however, when the horse was put into the overcrowded pen, it was rubbed off by the other horses. The fresh injury was bleeding strongly and muscle flesh was exposed. The auction veterinarian saw the horse, but never did anything to ease the suffering. The horse went through the sale and was purchased by Leroy Baker. Despite attempts of a rescue organization to buy the horse from him a few days later, it disappeared and most likely was shipped to slaughter.

Animals‘ Angels visits yard for first time and finds large, old, outdoor bank of poultry cages containing chickens, ducks, geese and rabbits plus outdoor pens of small goats and piglets. Poultry area features an RSPCA Guidelines for Handling Stock With Care“ sign. We are pleased to see that most animals appear to be in a reasonable condition today. However, we are very concerned about the lack of water for poultry, pigs and other animals here. We also note that some animals like roosters are inappropriately caged together, and that some poultry leaving the market is overcrowded. After the sale there did not appear to be supervision of the loading of animals to leave the market, in order to ensure that animals are handled correctly and not overcrowded onto transports to leave the premises.

ANIMALS’ ANGELS inspects Mundijong Market. 153 boxes with chickens and roosters, ducks, geese, budgies, finches and other small birds, galahs, rabbits, guinea pigs and peacocks and turkeys were for sale. Each box can contain up to 6-8 birds. Overcrowding of poultry is common as is their lack of water. Pigs were observed in uncovered trailers and 3 baby piglets had been put in a cage then placed on the back of a ute in full sun. There are a number of unacceptable incidents at this yard but no one in authority to take action. Animal welfare is clearly not a priority. The State Animal Welfare Inspectorate was not present because the State Government has stopped the funding which enabled the Inspectorate to employ Animal Welfare Inspectors. WA has just 1 State Animal Welfare Inspector for all of the state.

Animals’ Angels attended a day at the Science week to hear Veterinarians speak about animal welfare. Most of the talks were about how to “use” animals - very little about welfare was mentioned. The overall message was that the public must be told what it takes to convince them the animals are treated well. Additionally it was clear there is no in the field animal welfare “auditing” of the farm animal industry.

Animals’ Angels visits council yard and finds a few hundred sheep, 15 goats, and 110 cattle. Animals are generally in good condition. Mainly plastic sticks and rattles used for goading sheep. Still no sign to remind patrons to muzzle dogs. Main concerns today are, firstly, the suggestion by 2 members of the public that some cattle being left at these yards for a few days before the sale may be getting water, but not feed (claim requires further investigation); and secondly, the ongoing practice of a few individual patrons of this yard to buy goats and sheep (5-6 times per year) and bind their legs before transporting them out of this yard in a van. The co-operative efforts of yard management, regulatory inspectors and police are urgently required to halt this practice.