Carl Scott (right) is congratulated by Save Animals from
Exploitation Dunedin volunteer co-ordinator Michelle Hagar.
Photo by Craig Baxter.
Blinking in the bright sunshine and a bit wobbly on his
feet, battery hen protester Carl Scott yesterday left the cage
where he has spent a month.
His last seconds counted down by well-wishers, Mr Scott
emerged at 12.50pm, 31 days after he entered the cage on the
side of State Highway 1 at Waikouaiti.
Mr Scott immediately put on a T-shirt he was presented with
that said: "One man, one month, one cage, I survived."
The protest coincided with the last month of a submission
period on a draft code of welfare for hens that has been
criticised by animal rights advocates.
Mr Scott, who said his knees felt weak after he left the
190cm by 130cm cage, was very much looking forward to a
shower after a month of sponge baths.
The 41-year-old has been forced to leave the cage a few times
to protect and adjust the tent sheltering it, because of
attacks on the tent with eggs, stones and even a knife.
Despite those incidents, his faith in human nature had been
lifted by his experience, he said.
He was impressed by people's kindness and their desire to do
the right thing.
Several told him they had stopped eating battery hen eggs
because of the protest. Karitane writer Emma Farry, who
watched Mr Scott emerge, was impressed by his communication
skills and sincerity.
"I think people thought he was a nutter. Then they stopped
and talked to him and realised he's an intelligent,
passionate man." It was inspiring to see someone take action
because of their beliefs, she said.
Save Animals From Exploitation (Safe) Dunedin volunteer
co-ordinator Michelle Hagar said Mr Scott's achievement was
"absolutely amazing".
Seeing a person shut in a cage helped the public relate to
how farmed animals might feel, she said.
Safe members dressed in chicken suits thronged around Mr
Scott's cage holding signs up to passing traffic.
Safe campaign director Eliot Pryor, who had travelled from
Auckland, said Mr Scott's protest attracted welcome attention
to the hen welfare issue.
The next few months would be crucial while Minister of
Agriculture David Carter considered the submissions, he said.
Safe would be working hard to keep the issue in people's
minds.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
said at the last count, a few days ago, almost 15,000
submissions had been received.
Mr Carter hoped to decide on the code by the end of the year,
she said.
A draft released in February by the National Animal Welfare
Advisory Committee suggested adopting "enriched cages", which
were bigger and allowed the hens to express some natural
behaviour.
- eileen.goodwin@odt.co.nz
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