NEGLECTED SHEEP

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 56, 22 March 1937, Page 5

NEGLECTED SHEEP

Wound on Shoulder Becomes Putrefied FARMER FINED C I n IJ !■' ■ Neglect of a sheep which had been worried by a dog led to the convictjon of a Clive farmer, Dick Gregory, on a charge of cruelty to animals when he appeared l efore Mr. J. Miller, S.M., in the Napier Magistrate's Court this morning. Evidence was brought to show that a sheep which had been worried by dogs was left without treatment for some days untjl a large wound on one shoulder had become putrified. Defendant was fined £5, with costs amounting to £4 12/-. The Hawke's Bay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was represented by Mr. A. H. D. Mayne, and the defendant by Mr. T. H. R. Gifford. Mr. Mayne said that on December 18 defendant had among some sheep he was driving a sheep that had been very badly worried by a dog. He spoke to Miss F. A. Mills, of Clive, regarding the sheep us she passed on horseback. He then said that he was going to take it home and treat it. The following Monday, however, Miss Mills saw the sheep with the others in the paddock. It showed no signs of treatment. Between two visits by the inspector of the Hawke's Bay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on the saoie day, disinfeetant had been placed on the wounds. Evidence along the lines of Mr. Mayne 's statements was given by Florence Avis Mills. One ewe, which was limping slowly along on three feet, had the shoulder badly torn, she said. Defendant said that he was going to get a dray to take the sheep home. On the following Monday she saw the same sheep in the pasture. The Magistrate: 'How do you know that it was the same onef Witness: By the same shoulder being torn. It was then much worse. William AUen Stevens, inspector for the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, gave evidence of an inspection of two sheep which had been worried. The shoulders were torn off them. "They had not been killed," he said. "They were dead, but had died of their injuries about two days before. I went to another paddock and saw a sheep lying exhausted in the sun. It was in a frightful state. It's shoulder was not bittenj it was simply eaten. I've never seen a sheep like it. It was all putrid with fly-blows, and maggots were crawlihg out of it on to the ground." > Mr Mayne : Would it be possible to drive this sheep jn a flock without seeing its injuries? Witness: That would be impossible. The inspector stated that when he returned to the paddock with Constable Murray he found that someone had put disinfectant on the wound. Witness saw defendant at Stortford l/odge, when he stated that he intended fco plead guilty. Mr Gifford : Do you know that the sbeep was killed that day ? Witness : We demanded that it be Killed before our eyes. Would you be surprised to learn that Mr John Gregory says that there were no maggots in the ^heep he killed? — "I wouldn't be surprised at all 1" The Bench: What do you mean by l.hat — that you would he surprised if there weren't any maggots, or that you wouldn't believe him? Witness: X wouldn't believe him. Constable G. W. Murray, of Clive, detailed the inspection of the sheep with the S.P.C.A. inspector, and the destruotion of the sheep. The off J'oreieg, he said, was practically rotted rtway. The sheep was in a very serious condition which would have caused any ordinary man to dfestroy it. "The defendant' s reason for defend>ug the action is that he denies he was aware tbat the sheep was jn such a .jqnditionj otherwise it would have been destroyed," said Mr Gifford. The defendant gave evidence that he

found sheep worried in his paddocks. There were two dead and two badly worried in one paddock. He told his son to destroy them, and found that in the second paddock two sheep were dead and one badly worried, He then brought all the sheep from the paddock, together with the worried oue. Three of the sheep were destroyed, including that wliich had been sliown to Miss Mills, Cross-examined, witness said that he ha dbeen convieted of cruelty to animals about 20 years ago. A son of defendant, Lesly Gordon Richards, gave similar evidence. "I ara not satisfied with the evidence given for the defence,'' said the Mag--istrate. "In the first place, fatheij and

son do not agree in their evidence. I am satisfied that this is the same sheep and neither Miss Mills nor the inspector had any difficulty in finding it. It is obvious that the sheep had been left to look after itself."