Animal activists call for crackdown in serial dog killer Adam Britton’s wake as sentencing adjourned

The discovery of an NT crocodile expert’s sickening Rural Area torture chamber has prompted animal welfare activists to demand a crackdown on those who exploit and abuse animals.

Protesters gather outside the Supreme Court in Darwin where zoologist Adam Britton will be sentenced in August for the torture, rape and slaughter of dozens of pet dogs. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Animal welfare activists are calling on the Territory government to crack down on abusers after the sentencing of serial pet dog killer Adam Britton was adjourned on Thursday.

Speaking outside court, former Country Liberal Party MLA Ross Bohlin said the further delay after Britton pleaded guilty to bestiality and animal cruelty charges would “do no justice to his victims” and “only continue the pain”.

Mr Bohlin said he was speaking on behalf of Kiki’s Justice which “represents animals who are victims of rape, torture and murder” and was calling “for stronger animal welfare legislation and sentencing”.

He said the organisation’s demands included tougher sentencing for animal cruelty offences, lifetime bans on pet ownership for abusers, a new offence for the possession of animal cruelty material and for bestiality offenders to be placed on the national sex offender register.

He said Kiki’s Justice also wanted to see the introduction of a national registration system for the selling and rehoming of pets as well as tighter controls on their trade on online marketplaces.

“There is, unfortunately, knowledge that this type of barbaric and psychopathic behaviour is being conducted here and worldwide, both for other sick perpetrators to get away with but also to consume,” he said.

Former Territory MLA Ross Bohlin said ‘this type of barbaric and psychopathic behaviour is being conducted here and worldwide’. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Former Animal Justice Party member of the NSW upper house Mark Pearson, who travelled to Darwin for the hearing, accused the Territory government of turning “a blind eye to animal protection”.

“The officers that are in charge of animal protection in the government are within the agriculture department, the department of agriculture is a department which protects animal users,” he said.

“You cannot have the portfolio of animal welfare, animal protection and animal wellbeing in the ministerial portfolio which is about agriculture, primary industries, protecting animal users.”

Mr Pearson also called on the government to ban crocodile farming and camel riding, saying “they only react to horror”.

“The measure of our society is how we treat the most vulnerable, our children, mentally ill people, disabled people, homeless people and our animals,” he said.

Former Animal Justice Party member of the NSW upper house Mark Pearson speaks outside the Supreme Court on Thursday. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“If this government cannot spread its wings and look after the most vulnerable and allow ongoing, systemic abuse to occur, then this is a government that has to be overhauled and shaken up.”

Mr Pearson said more needed to be done to identify people who “are showing the signs of sociopathic or psychopathic patterns in their behaviour”.

“We have to ensure that this kind of behaviour is detected early and squashed, quashed before it turns into a horrendous torturing chamber which was discovered not far from here,” he said.

The Territory government is currently undertaking a review of the Animal Protection Act, with consultation to close on September 20.

Attorney-General Chansey Paech’s office has been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Animal activists call for crackdown in serial dog killer Adam Britton’s wake as sentencing adjourned