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A shearer who killed a lamb by hitting it on the head has been jailed for 16 months.
An archival image of the coat of arms of a courtroom. Source: 1 NEWS
Christopher Tredinnick is also prohibited from being in charge of any animal, for two years.
The 51-year-old was sentenced in Alexandra District Court yesterday after the incident in Oxford, North Canterbury in February.
The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) says the lamb struggled while being sheared and broke the shearing gear.
Tredinnick used the scissors to hit him on the head and told the farm owners that he had suffocated and would take him home to feed their dogs.
MPI animal welfare investigators went to Tredinnick’s home and recovered the remains. An autopsy revealed that the lamb had multiple skull fractures, meaning it would have suffered a lot of pain and distress before dying.
MPI National Animal Welfare Manager Gray Harrison said Tredinnick’s actions were appalling.
“He deliberately caused this lamb to suffer and tried to hide that fact. Animals need and deserve to be treated with respect, and Mr. Tredinnick did not meet those expectations,” Harrison said in a statement.
“This type of offense by shearers is unusual. Most are professionals and do the right thing. However, our message to those who deliberately cause this type of suffering is clear: we will investigate them and bring them to court.”
