Slaughter highlights growing cruelty problem

BY FELICITY ROSS AND MATT RILKOFF

A goat was discovered dumped with a slashed throat on Paynters Ave in New Plymouth yesterday morning.

Animal control officer Lee-Ann Betts said the animal's throat had been cut with a blunt knife and it would have been a particularly painful and cruel way to be killed.

Though the goat was suspected to be feral, that was only a guess and it could have been someone's pet she said.

The cruel killing comes as figures show a sharp increase in animal abuse complaints within Taranaki.

SPCA area manager Andrea Collins said the rise in abuse was shocking.

"It's quite worrying," she said.

SPCA figures show abuse complaints have been steadily rising each year.

In 2006 the society received just 148 complaints while 2008 saw 359. And while last year was slightly down at 310, this year is already on track to be higher.

"It has gone up a lot and we have still got four months to go until the end of this year," Mrs Collins said.

"It's actually quite shocking."

She said shifts in society could be to blame for the increase.

New Zealanders are living in a different world than a few years ago, she said.

"Society was more law abiding. Now you have got a society where there are a lot of kids coming from dysfunctional backgrounds and the parents have no control. They are abused themselves it's just a cycle that is continuing and getting worse.

"We are dealing with the fallout from that."

Recently a six-month-old puppy was attacked with an iron bar and needed its right front leg amputated.

Mrs Collins said strong deterrents for this type of cruelty are needed and was pleased with the recent increase in penalties.

Offenders now face up to 12 months in jail and a $50,000 fine for cruelty-to-animal charges. A 33-year-old man is due to appear in the New Plymouth District Court next week charged with possession of an offensive weapon and ill-treatment of an animal.

Mrs Collins said the complaints the society received ranged from serious cruelty to emaciated animals.

And the reasons for ill-treatment could be just as varied.

"Some people can't afford it, there are also people that just don't care, the animals just aren't a priority for them.

"These are probably the same kinds of people who don't look after their children either."

SPCA ANIMAL ABUSE STATISTICS

2006 - 148

2007 - 203

2008 - 359

2009 - 310

2010 - 235 to date.

- © Fairfax NZ News