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A pig farm at the centre of a Close Up investigation for animal cruelty has been caught out again and must be closed down, animal advocacy group Safe is saying.
The Levin pig farm that was exposed by TVNZ's Sunday programme for animal cruelty more than a year ago has been called into question again with new footage showing distressed and unhealthy animals.
MAF have previously investigated the farm and this latest footage has sparked a fresh investigation, which is raising questions over why nothing has changed.
"This is the third time this farm has been exposed as posing serious animal welfare problems. This new footage reveals nothing has changed and pigs are continuing to suffer in horrific, cruel confinement systems," says SAFE campaign director Hans Kriek.
SAFE is calling on MAF and the Pork Board to step in and close the farm immediately.
Animal welfare group Open Rescue went undercover at Colin Kay's farm over the weekend where they again filmed the footage.
The group gained access to the farm through an unlocked door and managed to gather enough evidence within the first 15 minutes of their visit.
One pig's ear was so badly infected it was raw and weeping. Another pig had an infected foot and one even had a prolapsed rectum.
Deirdre Sims from Open Rescue said she cannot believe the pigs
have been found in this condition again.
"There is no excuse to keep animals confined and suffering in
disgusting conditions like this.
"I just don't know what it is going to take to change this industry."
Kreik agrees something should have been done when this farm was first discovered.
"The real tragedy is that those pigs have been in those crates since Mike King saw them 15 months ago.
"You really have to wonder what it will take before the animals living in this hellhole will get the help they so desperately need," said Kriek.
However he said that Kay's farming practices are currently legal.
"Don't forget the processes Colin uses on his farm are not illegal, so he could well pass an audit and he could well have his pork 'welfare approved' by the New Zealand Pork Board."
The claims were put to Kay by TVNZ's Close Up programme, who said the pigs were being treated for their injuries before the filming took place.
He said the pigs got their wounds from fighting and all 200 pigs had now been checked and cleared by a vet. One pig however had to be put down.
But Freshpork NZ Vet Selwyn Dobbinson said the injuries seen in the footage are not common at pig farms in New Zealand.
"In 20 years of practice it would be unusual to see two animals like that."
Fifteen months ago Open Rescue took high-profile pork ambassador Mike King to the same farm to show him the appalling conditions the pigs were being kept in.
King was so shocked by what he saw he spoke out publically and subsequently parted ways with the Pork Board.
CEO of the Pork Board, Sam McCivor, said they have responded to the claims by beginning an audit of all farms throughout New Zealand.
"The commitment of the industry is by September 30 this year all pig farms will have been audited."
However because McCivor's farm is yet to be audited he could not comment specifically on its performance.
But SAFE said this audit is a "smoke screen" for the 'welfare approved' label that the board is hoping to bring in.
"They are only doing an audit for one reason, they want to bring out a label reading 100% welfare approved pork to give to farmers that meet their very, very low standards," said Kreik.
What do you think about the pig farming conditions? Have your say on the messageboard below.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentChrisNoaro said on 2010-07-24 @ 20:18 NZDT: Report abusive post
People need to realise that pigs will continue to be abused like this until we stop eating them. Farming and the meat indutry need to keep costs down to stay competitive so the interests of animals will always be low on the list. Also on the subject of free range - KILLING SOMETHING ISN'T TREATING IT NICELY.
trudiu said on 2010-07-24 @ 18:06 NZDT: Report abusive post
Well done again to Close up, and SAFE. Great to see this back in the spotlight. The biggest thing people can do to help these pigs is go vegan.
Freeranger said on 2010-07-24 @ 13:03 NZDT: Report abusive post
only to be replaced on the supermarket shelves by substandard imports
Freeranger said on 2010-07-24 @ 13:01 NZDT: Report abusive post
Hi,whilst I do not approve of the cruelty, I have a problem with Safe condemning all farmers.In fact it is the outdoor piggeries that are feeling it the hardest when demand goes down. Most outdoor pork producers have higher costs and getter mortality but get the same price as indoor guys which is set by what processors can import from overseas, which is garanteed to be from stalls. So lets support kiwi farmers try to improve instead of running the outdoor piggeries out of business.
whiteheron said on 2010-07-24 @ 12:26 NZDT: Report abusive post
Come on!! This is supposed to be NZ and this is not the NZ way of farming disgusting we should boycott all commercial pork products for 6 months and go back to buying from the local butcher who buys from local farms that have a good working ethic. Lets face it there are good healthy pig farms out there and scenes like this destroy their reputation as well.