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Christel Yardley / Stuff
A couple from a WaihÄ ‘dairy farm have been convicted on serious animal welfare charges (file photo)
A Waihī farmer couple has been fined more than $ 7,500 on serious animal welfare charges.
Gary Kester Mathers, 68, and Margaret Helen Mathers, 67, previously pleaded guilty to seven counts that included failure to provide dairy cows with adequate and sufficient food, mistreatment of cows, and failure to comply with a Ministry’s instructions and advice. for Inspector of Animal Welfare of Primary Industries.
Gary was fined $ 4000 and Margaret $ 3500 in Morrinsville District Court Tuesday afternoon. The couple were also ordered to pay $ 3,273.40 in veterinary costs.
In July 2018, an MPI animal welfare inspector visited the two Mathers dairy farms in Waihī and had to euthanize a cow to end its suffering.
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After receiving a formal warning, another visit from an inspector in 2019 resulted in the euthanasia of a pregnant cow.
The MPI Animal Welfare Inspector also found significant malnutrition of the animals on the farm and 30 of the dairy cows required urgent corrective action.
In July 2019, an agricultural consultant made more visits that made welfare recommendations to the Mathers that were not followed, and an additional visit from an animal welfare inspector discovered a cow suffering from eye cancer that also had to be euthanized.
Gray Harrison, National Manager for MPI, Animal Welfare and Compliance Group at NAIT, said animal suffering could have been prevented with timely decision-making and better animal management.
“The Mathers are proprietary owners. They work with these animals on a daily basis and should have been aware that many of them were in poor health.
“They did not take opportunities to improve the situation despite MPI’s warnings and advice from an agricultural consultant. If they had acted earlier, we may have had a different outcome for these animals.
“Today’s ruling should serve as a warning that people who neglect their responsibility to their animals will be investigated and held accountable.”
