MEDIA RELEASE Outdoor Recreation NZ
7 July 2006

Animal welfare groups keep mum on 1080 kills of animals

"Many farm and household animals in rural areas have met with painful death because of the indiscriminate use of 1080 yet none of our animal welfare groups have much to say", said Outdoor Recreation's 1080 and animal welfare and control spokesman Tony Smart.

"Organisations such as the SPCA have plenty to do but still, when it comes to the agonizing and barbaric slaughter of our wildlife birds, dogs, cats, and stock, you'd think they would speak up. At the very least the public should be better informed about the dangers of 1080 and start putting their professed care for the interests of these animals into action. But where are they?

"There is much that can be done but we need animal welfare groups to raise the awareness and get active about the horrendous deaths of so many animals that are either unwittingly ingesting the 1080 or suffer by getting a lethal dose through secondary poisoning.

"Its all very well to claim to be against cruelty to animals and we prosecute many instances of individual cruelty with penalties of stiff fines and even jail sentences, so why do we treat the cruelty of killing by the 1080 poison differently?

"I have personally witnessed such animals die. It is a long and drawn-out savage and excruciating death. I cannot imagine anyone who claims to care about animals and their welfare could simply turn a blind eye.

"Their silence is deafening"

ENDS

© Scoop Media