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An horrific story of
animal cruelty ...
...which could have been a seriously injured child, has been reported to
VillagePRESS.
Gin traps are again being sold in some
districts, but no instructions and legal requirements accompany those sales.
There is a movement to stop this but it seemed likely that
“some child will have to get hurt before this ban is across NZ,” an SPCA
spokesman told us.
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While serrated jaws continue to be
illegal, restricted use of plain jaws is permitted by some local
authorities.
Our informant said he was asked by a work colleague to
call into the colleagues’ Lifestyle Block home while he went on holiday. He
had a “house swap” with a Wellington family they did not know very well.
Perhaps he could "make sure all was well.”
When he called the first time, one of the children said
there was a hedgehog in a trap down the farmlet. “I was racing to work and
really didn’t register what the youngster had said. At the weekend I called
again after work three days later, the boy said the hedgehog was still
alive. And it was; caught by all four feet.” |
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ANIMAL WELFARE ACT 4 Traps &
Devices
PROVISIONS IN THE ACT
Part 2 of the Act contains specific provisions concerning the use and
inspection of traps and devices. Through an Order in Council mechanism,
traps and devices can be declared to be prohibited or restricted (section
32) after consideration of certain criteria (section 33). An order may
contain provisions regulating the sale or use of a restricted trap or device
(section 32(4)). The Act also spells out the obligation to inspect traps
that are set for the purpose of capturing alive a mammal, bird, reptile or
amphibian (section 36).
WHY PROHIBIT OR RESTRICT TRAPS & DEVICES?
The ability to prohibit or restrict traps and devices is needed to deal
with traps and devices that pose a high animal welfare risk. Some traps,
such as steel jawed leg hold traps, and some devices, such as
electro-immobilisers, may cause an animal considerable suffering and
intervention may be warranted.
FISHING DEVICES & TRAPS EXCLUDED
Section 32(2) excludes traps or devices used for fishing. This is for
reasons related to a lack of alternative methods, social and economic
implications, and difficulties with enforcement.
OBLIGATION TO INSPECT LIVE CAPTURE TRAPS
The Act includes an obligation to inspect traps where the purpose is to
capture alive a mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian (section 36). Inspection
of kill traps is not required as it can reasonably be expected that the
animals trapped were killed instantly. Where there is a concern with the
effectiveness of a “kill” trap in terms of welfare considerations, this can
be addressed through the ability to prohibit or restrict the use of traps.
Section 36 requires that traps must be inspected within 12 hours after
sunrise on the day after the day on which the trap was set. For example, if
a trap is set on Tuesday and the sun rises at 6am on Wednesday morning, it
must be inspected before 6pm on Wednesday. Any live animal found in the trap
must be removed, properly attended to or, without delay, killed.
Failure to inspect a trap in accordance with this provision is an
infringement offence and attracts a $400 infringement fee (section 162 (4)(b)(i)).
However, if a person chooses to contest the infringement notice served on
them by an Inspector, the offence may proceed through the court system and
the maximum fine rises to $1,200.
See
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/regs/animal-welfare/act/awguide.pdf
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Photo provided by Informant |
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“I put it out of it’s pain immediately, but was appalled. The gin trap was
also just staked on an obviously used path and could well have been stepped
on by a kid, or catch a hand or fingers….”
Must not be set within *150 metres of
house
VillagePRESS has found that there are regulations requiring ‘careful
use’ which also bans the setting of such devices within *150 metres of any
house. Our informant said that, using Google Earth, he could see that
nowhere within the property would be permitted and that other houses would
also be closer to the trap site. [*one hundred and fifty metres- not fifteen
hundred as originally reported - our error, thanks 'Informant'-: Ed].
Any such trap is legally required to be inspected within 12 hours of
sunup the following day. |
Our informant
asked VillagePRESS not to be identified and was concerned about what to
do as the colleague who had set the trap was someone he had to work alongside.
Any ideas from a reader to suggest how he could make the workmate repeating this
cruelty, would be interesting.--
PER Managing Editor
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