Animal cruelty: Egg farmer fined $6500; banned from owning animals

A NSW egg farmer has been fined $6500 and banned from owning animals for five years, after being found guilty of “serious” animal cruelty charges over the treatment of 4000 hens, which led to them being euthanised. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

Activist group NSW Hen Rescue posted a video on social media of what they say is hens inside a shed at Mr Stone’s farm. Picture: Facebook

A NSW egg farmer has been fined $6500 and banned from owning animals for five years, after being found guilty of “serious” animal cruelty charges over the treatment of 4000 hens, which led to them being euthanised.

Shaun Stone, 36, was also placed on a 16-month community corrections order and was ordered to pay half of his fine to the RSPCA when convicted in Picton Local Court on Monday.

NSW RSPCA inspectors, police and two veterinarians found the live hens among about 1000 dead hens in a shed at Mr Stone’s commercial egg farm at Lakesland in June last year.

The RSPCA said half of the birds in the shed had a respiratory disease, most were underweight or emaciated and all the birds had severe lice infestations.

It said the shed had poor ventilation, poor substrate, broken feeders and water pipes, and dangerous wire causing the birds to become trapped and the deceased bodies left to decompose among the hens.

Deceased chicken euthanised by avian vet. Picture: RSPCA

Deceased chicken found during inspection. Picture: RSPCA

Mr Stone was ordered to provide sufficient food, water and veterinary treatment to the birds at the time, but after further inspections RSPCA found there were still issues and the hens posed a biosecurity risk to the industry.

The flock was euthanised with Mr Stone’s consent.

RSPCA NSW deputy chief inspector Aaron Purcell said it was a “complicated case” and the RSPCA was pleased with the court outcome.

“It is incredibly important that the owners and operators of intensively farmed animals have systems in place which ensure for the provision of proper and sufficient food and water, and for the animals to receive necessary veterinary treatment in order to maintain a certain welfare standard throughout the entire population,” he said.

Activist group NSW Hen Rescue said members of its group had entered the property to “try and save (the) 4000 hens”.

“Activists still face trespass and stealing charges for attempting rescue of the hens,” the group wrote on Facebook.

It further claimed that “ridiculous charges of animal cruelty against activists” had been dropped.