Farmer jailed for cruelty to thousands of chickens

Photo / Herald on Sunday

An Auckland poultry farmer has been jailed for a year for causing suffering to thousands of animals kept in what were described as filthy and inhumane conditions.

Gerard Van Den Bogaart, who traded as Golden Harvest Poultry, yesterday appeared in the Papakura District Court and pleaded guilty to four offences under the Animal Products Act and two offences under the Animal Welfare Act.

In 2008 health and food authorities visited Van Den Bogaart's properties, in South Auckland, where they found animals being kept in what the judge was told were "filthy and inhumane conditions."

Geoff Allen, of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority, said what the investigators saw was beyond belief.

"We found chickens that were kept in filthy and inhumane conditions.

"No consumer should be put at risk by eating eggs or animals produced, kept or slaughtered in such unsanitary conditions and where the necessary precautions are not taken to manage the presence of harmful bacteria."

More than 100,000 eggs were destroyed, 5000 laying hens relocated and more than 1100 mainly broiler chickens had to be killed because of distress. Another 4000 hens, broiler chickens and ducks had to be killed because they could not be relocated.

Records showed poultry and egg sales totalling $279,962 between January and June 2008, which Judge McAuslan said constituted a significant operation.

SPCA national president Bob Kerridge said the case highlighted concerns surrounding battery farming.

"Such mass numbers and such mass cruelty. The size of the case does reflect the mass cruelty and [the sentence] certainly reflects the severity of the case.

Van Den Bogaart's elderly mother said she was upset her son was not given the opportunity to tell his side of the story.

"He wanted to tell the truth, but he wasn't allowed to say a word. Very bad judgment, not fair," she said.

Mrs Van Den Bogaart, who did not want to be named, said her son was the only one taking care of her and her husband.

Van Den Bogaart had earlier been served a notice by the food and safety authority to stop the sale of poultry and eggs as well as the slaughter of poultry - which he did not comply with.

Judge Sharon McAuslan sentenced him to a year in prison for the ill-treatment of broiler hens and roosters and two months concurrently for failing to provide for the animals' health.

He was also imprisoned for six months concurrently for selling non-compliant animal products and convicted and discharged on two lesser charges. He was ordered to pay almost $10,000 in costs.

He is not allowed to own broiler hens for at least 10 years.