Tas piggery faces aggravated animal cruelty charges
One of Australia’s worst cases of commercial animal cruelty is to go before the Scottsdale Court in
Tasmania today (12th May). Gary Oliver, a commercial piggery operator of Winnaleah has been
charged with serious breaches of the Tasmanian Animal Welfare Act after police were called to the
piggery on March 8th 2009. Charges include:
Section 9 (3 counts) - aggravated cruelty
Section 7 - managing a group of animals by a method that is reasonably likely to result in
unreasonable and unjustifiable pain or suffering to the animal or an animal in the group.
Section 8 – Cruelty
Section 14 - Failing to comply with the direction of an officer under the Animal Welfare Act.
Footage from this piggery aired on the ABC’s Stateline program on Friday night and the first-hand
account of Tasmanian animal advocate Emma Haswell shocked Tasmanians.
One of the counts of aggravated cruelty relates to a dying pig whose large shoulder wound was infested
with hundreds of maggots. Other charges relate to pigs in individual sow stalls with leg wounds so
severe that they were unable to weight bear and feed and as a result had become emaciated.
The piggery in question supplies Woolworths supermarkets. Despite Woolworth’s suppliers being
required to be part of the Australian Pork Industry Quality program - it has been revealed that this
piggery has not been audited by that program since November 2007.
Animals Australia Executive Director Glenys Oogjes said,
“The vision and photographs from this piggery reveal the most appalling cruelty that I have seen in 25
years of working in animal welfare. It is inconceivable that any person could leave animals to suffer in
this way.”
“The spotlight of shame not only falls on the piggery operator. Both Woolworths and the Tasmanian
State government are answerable for the failure to audit and inspect this piggery. Had they done and
made this piggery operator accountable - some of the worst cruelties witnessed could have been
prevented.”
“Whilst this matter is still to go before the court – the only reasonable course of action for Woolworths is
to sever ties with this piggery. Woolworths’ customers will not tolerate Woolworths continuing to
financially support a supplier who is capable of such cruelty.”
Media comment:
Emma Haswell Founder Brightside Farm Animal Sanctuary 0408658356
Glenys Oogjes Executive Director Animals Australia 0414312552
Footage has been provided to networks in Tasmania or is available on request from Emma
Haswell. Further photographs are available on request from Animals Australia.
NEWS 
