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A farmer has been fined $3,500 after he was found to have mistreated a calf.
A Rolleston pig and cattle farmer has been fined $3,500 for failing to euthanise an extremely emaciated calf, with body sores and hundreds of maggots in its mouth.
John William McFall, 55, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Christchurch District Court yesterday on one animal welfare charge. He incurred fees of $581.50 for veterinary costs and $130 for court costs.
Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) national manager animal welfare & NAIT compliance Gray Harrison says people have a responsibility to prevent animal suffering and to ensure their animals’ needs are met.
“Mr McFall caused this animal to suffer unnecessarily. It had been left to suffer for 48 hours.”
The charge relates to a visit to McFall’s property by MPI animal welfare inspectors on 3 April 2020 following a complaint from the public.
“Initially, the officers thought the calf was dead. It was extremely emaciated with body sores and hundreds of maggots in its mouth.
“A vet inspection concluded the emaciated calf had been lying down for a significant period, and it had been unable to move for at least a day.
“The calf had been suffering from severe internal parasitism which led to weight loss. This situation was totally avoidable. Mr McFall did not give the animal the care it needed,” Harrison says.
He says the cow would have been extremely stressed because of severe hunger and not being able to get up.
He says any member of the public who is aware of animal ill-treatment or cruelty should alert MPI via the animal welfare complaints freephone so that action can be taken.
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