Media Release
29 June 2009
Piggery cruelty court case against Woolworths supplier resumes
The court case against one of Australia’s worst cases of commercial animal cruelty will
resume before the Scottsdale Court in Tasmania at 10 am tomorrow, Tuesday 30th June.
Gary Oliver, a commercial piggery operator of Winnaleah, is charged with serious breaches
of the Tasmanian Animal Welfare Act after police were called to the piggery on March 3rd
2009. He was brought before court on 12th May charged with eight counts of animal cruelty
and bailed to reappear in court tomorrow where he will be asked to enter a plea.
Charges against Mr. Oliver, who supplies 20 per cent of all the Tasmanian pork that
Woolworths buys, 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.
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.
Glenys Oogjes, Animals Australia's Executive Director said,
"The cruelty at this piggery has shocked Tasmanians to the core. We are hoping that the
court will send a strong message to those involved in commercial animal enterprises that
abuse and neglect of animals is completely unacceptable in today's society."
Media contact:
Emma Haswell - Investigator - 040 865 8356 (available for interviews in Hobart)
Glenys Oogjes - Animals Australia's Executive Director - 041 431 2552
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