RSPCA set to pay legal costs of alleged animal abusers
MEDIA RELEASE
Jeanie Walker
Federal Animal Rights Spokesperson
Thursday, 1st July, 2010
RSPCA set to pay legal costs of alleged animal abusers
The RSPCA are today appearing in the Adelaide Magistrates Court to decide costs they will be paying for bungling what was potentially Australia’s biggest animal cruelty case against south-east farmers, the Brinkworths.
Federal animal rights spokesperson for the Australian Democrats, Jeanie Walker, says this again shows clearly that the RSPCA, a private charity, cannot be allowed to continue to prosecute large animal cruelty cases and these powers need to be handed over to a specialised police unit.
“The fact that the RSPCA is now having to pay legal expenses to the alleged perpetrators of animal abuse of around 800 cattle shows that the RSPCA is not up to the task of large scale animal cruelty prosecution and something must be done immediately.
“The public should be horrified that money they have donated toward stopping animal cruelty is now being paid to the alleged offenders because of mistakes made by the RSPCA,” says Ms Walker.
“During the recent South Australian election the Democrats called for an investigation into why this case was so badly handled but three months on the state government appears to have taken no action.
“The RSPCA needs to stick to what it does best, caring for and re-homing stray animals, and let the police handle large scale operators like the Brinkworths.
“To add insult to injury RSPCA members are being asked to donate more money, ostensibly to allow the organisation to continue with their animal welfare programs: their newsletters say nothing about the case and neither does their website!
“South Australians are sick of animal cruelty offenders getting away with murder and now is the time to sort out the system for good!”
The hearing is at 9.30am at the Adelaide Magistrates Court.
Why is it assumed that the Brinkworths were guilty?
I heard that they sold the cattle in a very healthy state at a good price.
The question to examine is, “What training do these RSPCA Inspectors have that enables them to assess livestock?”
In NSW the RSPCA Inspectors tend to be ex-policeman and it seems the main requirement is to “administer the law”!!! Their training regarding animals seems to be limited to 5 days on all stock. as stated by one Inspector in a court case. How does that compare with decades of a farmer’s experience?