Pigs to plead their case in Franklin Square

2 June 2010

A unique animal delegation will descend on Primary Industries Minister Bryan Green's office in Franklin Square, Hobart today. Four rescued pigs from Brightside Farm Sanctuary will walk from the Parliament lawns at 11.00am to Franklin Square. Their mission? To plead for Minister Green to accept the recommendation of the Tasmanian Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC) to ban the use of cruel pregnant sow stalls in Tasmania by 2017.

National animal protection organisation Animals Australia has joined with member society Brightside Farm Sanctuary to applaud the recommendation of AWAC and to call on Minister Green to accept their expert advice.

Animals Australia's Executive Director Glenys Oogjes said;

"The Tasmanian government acting to ban sow stalls is in no way a radical move, it is an ethical one. These cruel devices have been banned in the UK for a decade. Australia's largest piggery Rivalea has announced a voluntary ban on stalls by 2017 showing that these cruel devices are completely unnecessary."

"AWAC's recommendation could not have been more thoroughly researched and they came to the obvious decision. This injustice had to have an end date. Pig farmers should be grateful that they have still been given seven years to end this obvious animal abuse."

"The Tasmanian government is not bound to implement a national code that is both flawed and cruel. They have every right to set their own standards. I have no doubt that Tasmanians would feel proud of their government and state for taking the lead and showing the rest of Australia that Tasmanians will not tolerate animal cruelty."

Brightside Founder Emma Haswell said;

"For decades in Tasmania these wonderful animals have been treated as breeding machines confined in metal and concrete crates at times for months on end barely able to move. Minister Green now has the opportunity to end one of the most appalling practices ever inflicted on animals in this country, a decision that every Tasmanian who cares about animal welfare will welcome and applaud."

Please add your voice to this campaign and ask Minister Green to ban sow stalls.

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