'No breaches evidenced'

Eight complaints made to the Ministry of Primary Industries about cruelty to rodeo animals last summer have been found not to show breaches of the Animal Welfare Act.

The complaints related to North Island rodeos only, and led to a month-long ministry investigation.

A letter from ministry district compliance manager Mike Simmons to the New Zealand Rodeo Cowboys' Association was provided to the Otago Daily Times yesterday by association president Marty Deans, of Outram.

In the letter, Mr Simmons said the ministry considered there were ''no breaches evidenced'' that it considered constituted criminal offending.

There were, however, eight ''minor or technical breaches''.

In respect of those, Mr Simmonds suggested to the association tail twisting to move a bull, steer or calf up a race be discouraged, correct or measured use of electric prodders be taught, consideration be given to the removal of bells from bull ropes and any animal that became ''excessively excited, goes down in a chute, or attempts to jump out of the chute in a manner that may cause it to injure itself must be released''.

Add a Comment