Agriculture Minister David Carter says animal investigators
will inspect a pig farm after he was shown footage of
conditions there, filmed by an animal rights group.
TVNZ's Sunday programme aired footage by Open Rescue,
who were accompanied by comedian Mike King during a break-in
to a North Island intensive pig farm.
King, who was the long-standing front man for a campaign
advertising pork, said he was deeply ashamed of his role in
promoting that type of farming.
The pigs were unable to move and obviously in distress,
chewing at the cage bars and frothing, King said.
It was "callous, evil" treatment of pigs and the sound of
"screaming" pigs he would never forget.
"If I had known this was going on I would never have
supported this. I firmly believe that anyone who sees this
would say this has to stop." The footage was passed on to
another rights group, Save Animals from Exploitation (SAFE),
who contacted the Sunday show.
Mr Carter today urged Safe to reveal the location of the
property so it could be inspected by Ministry of Agriculture
and Forestry animal welfare investigators.
"The television images were disturbing. It is essential we
find out if this intensive pig farming operation is in breach
of the Animal Welfare Act.
"If SAFE has the welfare of these animals at heart, it needs
to provide details of the property today so the authorities
can the take appropriate action. I have asked MAF to
undertake an inspection as soon as we know the farm's
location," Mr Carter said.
SAFE campaign director Hans Kriek said the minister would be
given the farm's location, most likely by tomorrow, but
expressed concern Mr Carter was "playing games to a degree".
He said Mr Carter was attempting to "dilute" the issue by
making it out to be a rogue farm, not typical of those found
around the country.
`This is an average New Zealand farm," Mr Kriek said.
Green Party animal welfare spokesperson Sue Kedgley
criticised Mr Carter's apparent lack of knowledge regarding
pig farms after being shown the footage on the Sunday
programme.
"Mr Carter looked shocked and said he had no idea sow stalls
were widely used in New Zealand," Ms Kedgley said.
"I am incredulous that the minister, who has been chair of
Parliament's agriculture select committee for three years,
would not know sow crates are used widely by New Zealand pig
industry."
