Dead lambs, goats and cattle lie among living animals, among terminally ill baby cats. Garbage cans filled to the brim with dead animals. The animal owner, a farmer from the district of St. Pölten, had to answer for animal abuse in court on Wednesday. The process ended in a diversion. Which reignites the debate about harsher punishments among animal rights activists.
Only a few hours before the start of the trial, new photos of the deadly abuses at fertilizer companies in the district of St. Pölten caused a stir again. In court, the cause was then kept fairly small. Cattle ankle-deep in manure without sufficient bedding, sick and neglected animals – the “pictures speak volumes”, the chairman admitted.
Nevertheless, the 49-year-old farmer, who had to answer for animal abuse before the court in St. Pölten on Wednesday, got rid of it with a diversion: the man has to do 140 hours of community service. Preferably in an area related to animal welfare.
Questionable business model
According to the defendant, the background to the misery was “too high a demand for care”. According to the judge, the cause also lies in the “unreasonable and unprofitable business model of the company”. Because the 49-year-old got a lot of animals at a very reasonable price, all in very bad health. Which in turn entailed high costs for medical care.
“He doesn’t torture the animals out of greed for profit,” explains his lawyer Andreas Pulker at the beginning. On the contrary, he felt sorry for the animals, as the accused testified in court. Because the animals would be killed in any other operation. The pain would just have to be tolerated for a while for the medication to take effect.
Association against animal factories appalled
The district council is positive about the operation and speaks of strict controls. This was also reason for the judge to show leniency despite all the torments. The current allegations of new “horror photos” in the garden went untouched. For the current VGT (Verein gegen Tierfabriken), who protested in court, another unsatisfactory verdict and an absolute failure of the authorities.
“The current photos show the same grievances as then, but the farmer can continue as before,” explains Georg Prinz to the “Krone”. The union is demanding a ban on livestock farming for farmers and again a minimum sentence for animal cruelty.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
