A Glengarry farmer has been slapped with a “substantial” fine after four sheep were found dying in his paddock.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The animals had to be euthanised after they were found riddled with worms, laying in their own faeces and unable to stand on a property owned by Ernest William Waldron in 2015.
The 75-year-old previously pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated animal cruelty and was sentenced in the Launceston Magistrates Court last week.
Magistrate Sharon Cure said Waldron had purchased the sheep to sell them for profit, but while caring for them he had fallen “well short of his duty to the animals”.
The sheep had succumb to worms and Waldron claimed he checked on them every day, but Ms Cure disagreed.
Footage shown to the court during an earlier hearing revealed the sheep lying on the ground, unable to get up.
Animal welfare officers from the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment and RSPCA Tasmania visited the Glengarry Road property twice after receiving complaints from the public.
During the first visit in March that year they found a sheep that was “only just alive” and two others that were “very weak”. All three had to be put down.
On their second visit in June the officers found another sheep that appeared to have been dragging itself along the ground trying to graze.
It was unable to rise to its feet and had to be euthanised.
Despite having more than 55 years of experience in farming, Waldron had previously been fined $520 in 2013 when 19 sheep were found dead on his property.
Since the latest incident in 2015, Waldron has sold off much of his property and his sheep at Glengarry.
Waldron was facing a fine of up to $31,800 or up to 18 months in prison.
However Ms Cure said given his age, plea of guilty and the fact he had already downsized his herd, a “substantial fine” was appropriate.
She fined Waldron $4000 and ordered he pay $82.15 in court costs.
Ms Cure did not make any orders restricting him from owning livestock.
IN OTHER NEWS:
