Shearer pleads guilty to abusing sheep

A 21-year-old shearer from Naracoorte, South Australia has received a 12-month adjourned undertaking and ordered to make a $1000 donation to the RSPCA after pleading guilty to two charges of animal cruelty in the Horsham Magistrates Court on Monday.

The shearer faced the court for animal cruelty charges relating to beating and abusing sheep in a Victorian shearing shed in December 2017.

The shearer conducted various acts of cruelty on sheep including stomping on sheep’s necks, striking sheep in the head with his shearing handpiece and punching sheep in the head.

In handing down the sentence the Magistrate said he took cases of animal cruelty very seriously.

“If you work with animals you have a responsibility, not just to your employer and not just to the production of wool, but to the animal you are working with.

“To do your job in a humane way that causes as little trauma to the animal as possible to fulfil your duty.”

The Magistrate noted that some time has passed since the offence had been committed and the defendant now had more experience and maturity and better understood his role.

Agriculture Victoria Animal Health and Welfare Compliance Manager Daniel Bode said all persons in charge of livestock, including people shearing sheep, have obligations for the care and overall welfare of the animal they are handling at any given time.

“It is an animal cruelty offence to beat or abuse an animal and this kind of behaviour is unacceptable,” Mr Bode said.

“This case is a strong reminder that shearers need to exercise their duty of care to animals they are handling, and the mistreatment of animals will not be tolerated by the Victorian community.”

/Public Release. View in full here.