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MPI staff 'haunted' by animal cruelty case

Author
Charlotte Lewis-West,
Publish Date
Sat, 21 Mar 2015, 5:10AM
Photo: NewsPixNZ/NZ Herald
Photo: NewsPixNZ/NZ Herald

MPI staff 'haunted' by animal cruelty case

Author
Charlotte Lewis-West,
Publish Date
Sat, 21 Mar 2015, 5:10AM

Ministry for Primary Industry staff are haunted by a severe case of animal cruelty on the West Coast.

Robert Ussher was given three months home detention and a fine of over $6000 for his role in 152 cows being euthanised because of starvation.

His son Jeremy Ussher was fined $5000.

MPI District Compliance manager Peter Hyde says staff were appalled.

"They all said these were the worst conditions in cows they had ever seen. They were in advanced stages of starvation, some were down, some were struggling to get to their feet."

"One fifty two is an awful lot to put down."

In court the Ussher's defence told the court they were experienced farmers overwhelmed with financial debt.

The Ministry is questioning how conditions deteriorated so quickly. Hyde says they dispute claims it all happened quickly.

"The pasture was in a shocking state. There was very little internal fencing, there was no system of feeding the cows. All the natural water was very muddy. There were a lot of dead cows that had been stuck in creeks."

"There were a lot of factors needing to be bought under control."

Hyde believes the case should be a lesson to all farmers, and there are no excuses for letting things get our of hand.

"The lesson is get out. When the situation is deteriorating, when you're struggling to make decisions, get some support around you. Make those hard decisions. Doing nothing is not an option."

 

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