Animals' Angels attend the Mundijong Market where there are several poultry birds for sale, as well as rabbits, ducks, geese, turkeys, 26 sheep, 2 goats and 7 ponies in the open pens along with another 12 sheep, 10 lambs, and 11 pigs in the undercover pens.
Approx. 6 boxes are too small to hold the numbers of chickens inside so arrangements are made to lessen the density and transfer all the birds into chicken cages which allow more head room. The majority of boxes holding poultry, small animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs have water and some have feed. Water is available in containers under the tables so that anyone can give water to the birds.
We are told that the higher of the two small animal ramps is closed and we note the sides of the lower ramp has been covered which makes it easier to load animals like pigs. We are present for the unloading of 7 pigs and all are carefully handled. After the sale of the pigs and sheep the loading is undertaken with care.
The goats do not sell and are to be collected by the vendor later that day. There is an old couple who have put the birds in cages they purchased under a tarpaulin on the back of their ute. We speak with them and they tell us that a previous time their birds died because of a delay in the journey. It seems clear to us the birds died from lack of air and from heat stress. So we advise them to move the tarp to allow airflow because otherwise it may breach the Animal Welfare Act. We also advise DAFWA of this incident and they speak to the people concerned. The tarp is moved in a way that permits ventilation.
There are issues with a bird buyer who does not carefully handle the birds or the boxes containing birds. We are of the opinion too many birds are put into the cages he has in his trailer and subsequently the birds are unable to stand or move; they become trapped. The DAFWA inspectors speak with the man about the density of birds, the lack of securing cages so they don’t move and they also help rearrange the way the boxes are stacked inside the transport.
