KEY POINTS:
Animal abuse cases in the Far North have risen by 40 per cent in the past two months, compared with the same period last year.
SPCA senior inspector Jim Boyd has dealt with 22 cases of animal cruelty involving cattle, horses, sheep and pigs and nine cases relating to dogs in the past two months.
Since August, he has spent most of the time on the road and has worked up to 16 hours a day attending to the animal abuse cases.
The SPCA's list of shame - featuring the 50 worst cases of animal cruelty nationwide - is about to be released and Northland features prominently.
"It's quite unusual to have such high numbers of complaints, certainly in that period of time. Most cases related to starving or malnourished animals," Mr Boyd said after having to put down a large number of cattle and horses that had no chance of recovery.
Most cases involving dogs, he said, related to poor living conditions and insufficient exercise.
Dogs were the most commonly abused creatures because they often seemed to end up in the wrong person's backyard.
Livestock often deteriorated when farmers misjudged grass growth and supplies ran low.
As well, the animals could lose a lot of weight in winter because of insufficient care and feed.
Meanwhile, Mr Boyd said no one had been charged in relation to a case in Waipu where three seriously malnourished horses had to be destroyed. The trio, at North River Treks, had to be shot and another horse has since died from colic. The deaths happened while the company's owner, Ian Benson, was overseas.
Half of the remaining 32 horses have been removed from the property and the rest are on a special feeding regime after animal inspectors were called to the business in Helmsdale Rd on September 11. Mr Boyd said it was a major investigation where a lot of people needed to be spoken to.
In another case, the Kaitaia District Court is expected to rule this week on whether two Awanui farmers could be separately charged for ill-treating up to 158 sheep.
Owen Keith Kunicich, 66, and his wife Laura face three charges relating to the ill-treatment of sheep at their farm between December 4, 2005, and March 31, 2006. Both faced joint charges and elected a jury trial, but Owen later indicated he wanted a judge-only trial. The SPCA then had to lay separate charges against him.
- Northern Advocate
