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Three men have been sentenced in District Courts after Ministry for Primary Industries prosecutions over animal welfare, food safety and cattle tracing offences.
A deer farmer, a man who illegally slaughtered and sold several hundred animals, and a man who failed to register 125 cattle have been fined a combined $41,200 in three District Courts, following prosecutions by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
The deer farmer was also ordered to pay $2,323.35 in veterinarian costs.
The cases were before the courts for sentencing over the past month.
Deer farmer Harry James Chambers, 56, was fined $5,200 in the Taihape District Court on eight charges under the Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations 2018. He pleaded guilty to all charges.
Chambers velveted the antlers of four deer without pain relief or supervision from a veterinarian, MPI District Manager, Animal Welfare and NAIT Compliance, Stefan Halberg said.
"He knew what his responsibilities were to these animals and chose to ignore them, causing unnecessary pain and distress," Halberg said.
Judge Rowe did not accept Chambers' explanation that he thought he was going through hard velvet.
The judge described the offending as financially motivated and said New Zealand's reputation as a provider of animal products was at stake when animals were treated inhumanely.
Liam McBride, 59, was fined $21,000 in the Huntly District Court after pleading guilty to five charges under the Animal Welfare Act and the Animal Products Act.
The charges related to the illegal slaughter and sale of sheep, cattle and goats, following an MPI investigation. MPI Regional Manager, Investigations North, Aleshea Allen said several hundred animals were involved and would have suffered unreasonable and unnecessary pain.
McBride also did not have a risk management plan under the Animal Products Act for the meat he supplied, potentially putting consumer health at risk, Allen said.
"While the buyers might have thought they were getting a good deal," the lack of a plan was a concern, she said.
"When we find evidence of rules and regulations being ignored, we take action before the court," Allen said.
Peter Graeme Tonkin, 70, was fined $15,000 in the Whangarei District Court for failing to register 125 cattle under the National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) Act and failing to fit NAIT devices.
NAIT is designed so cattle and deer can be tracked and traced if a biosecurity problem occurs on farm. Under the Act:
MPI says animal welfare is everyone's responsibility and encourages anyone aware of animal ill-treatment or cruelty to report it on its animal welfare complaints freephone, 0800 008 333.
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