Mrs PADGHAM-PURICH - 1996-10-15
I have an interest in animal welfare. I have heard disturbing stories about the attention to the welfare and general living conditions of exotic animals located at Tipperary Station. Can the minister responsible for animal welfare reassure me that the reports I have heard are false - or worse, are they true?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, at about 7 o'clock yesterday morning, I received a telephone call from an officer with the RSPCA expressing concern about the condition of some animals of exotic species at Tipperary Station or Tipperary Wildlife Sanctuary. I immediately contacted the chief veterinary officer and he made further inquiries. As a result of those further inquiries, I instructed my department to dispatch immediately 3 trailers of cavalcade hay to the said property. I also asked my department yesterday to have a veterinarian travel to Tipperary to ascertain on the ground the condition of those animals. The report received earlier was that some 38 animals had died as a result of starvation.
Following the visit by a very senior veterinary officer from my department, a gentleman with some 25 years experience in this area, I am advised that some animals did die and that they were underfed. I am further advised that the cause of death was probably a combination of age, underfeeding and seasonal conditions, inducing stress. Following the receipt of that advice, and the receipt of further advice from officers of my department, I wrote to the owner of the wildlife sanctuary, pointing out his responsibilities under the Stock Diseases Act to ensure the welfare of these animals. In addition, I advised the person involved that it was my intention to gazette as stock those animals that were not defined as stock under the Stock Diseases Act to ensure that the act would apply to all animals contained in the sanctuary.
I am advised this situation arose after 25 September when the previous manager of the property terminated his employment. Although a very capable person, the new manager was not prepared to continue with the existing financial arrangements. As a result of some cashflow problems, there was an inability to provide sufficient feed. I have been informed this
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morning that the owner of the sanctuary has recognised the management and cashflow problems that brought about this unsavoury situation, and has now contracted a company that is owned by the former manager. The company is called TEST which is, as I understand it, an acronym for Territory Environment Systems and Technology. The owner has contracted this company to take over the total management of the sanctuary. Previously, the manager had to request a cheque, as and when required, to pay for feed or to pay for mechanical repairs. Under the arrangements put in place as of today, there will be a total management arrangement within which there will only be one bill. The previous manager, Mr Kevin Langham, tells me this is a much more satisfactory arrangement and should ensure that the welfare of the animals is looked after in the future.
I am also advised by my senior veterinary officer on the spot that he is satisfied that any potential disaster has been averted by provision of the feed. I am advised by Mr Kevin Langham that TEST will be paying for the feed that we have provided and that the arrangements now in place are totally satisfactory. My veterinary officers are convinced that these arrangements will ensure that there will be no repetition of the problems of the past 3 weeks.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, at about 7 o'clock yesterday morning, I received a telephone call from an officer with the RSPCA expressing concern about the condition of some animals of exotic species at Tipperary Station or Tipperary Wildlife Sanctuary. I immediately contacted the chief veterinary officer and he made further inquiries. As a result of those further inquiries, I instructed my department to dispatch immediately 3 trailers of cavalcade hay to the said property. I also asked my department yesterday to have a veterinarian travel to Tipperary to ascertain on the ground the condition of those animals. The report received earlier was that some 38 animals had died as a result of starvation.
Following the visit by a very senior veterinary officer from my department, a gentleman with some 25 years experience in this area, I am advised that some animals did die and that they were underfed. I am further advised that the cause of death was probably a combination of age, underfeeding and seasonal conditions, inducing stress. Following the receipt of that advice, and the receipt of further advice from officers of my department, I wrote to the owner of the wildlife sanctuary, pointing out his responsibilities under the Stock Diseases Act to ensure the welfare of these animals. In addition, I advised the person involved that it was my intention to gazette as stock those animals that were not defined as stock under the Stock Diseases Act to ensure that the act would apply to all animals contained in the sanctuary.
I am advised this situation arose after 25 September when the previous manager of the property terminated his employment. Although a very capable person, the new manager was not prepared to continue with the existing financial arrangements. As a result of some cashflow problems, there was an inability to provide sufficient feed. I have been informed this
Page 1681
morning that the owner of the sanctuary has recognised the management and cashflow problems that brought about this unsavoury situation, and has now contracted a company that is owned by the former manager. The company is called TEST which is, as I understand it, an acronym for Territory Environment Systems and Technology. The owner has contracted this company to take over the total management of the sanctuary. Previously, the manager had to request a cheque, as and when required, to pay for feed or to pay for mechanical repairs. Under the arrangements put in place as of today, there will be a total management arrangement within which there will only be one bill. The previous manager, Mr Kevin Langham, tells me this is a much more satisfactory arrangement and should ensure that the welfare of the animals is looked after in the future.
I am also advised by my senior veterinary officer on the spot that he is satisfied that any potential disaster has been averted by provision of the feed. I am advised by Mr Kevin Langham that TEST will be paying for the feed that we have provided and that the arrangements now in place are totally satisfactory. My veterinary officers are convinced that these arrangements will ensure that there will be no repetition of the problems of the past 3 weeks.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016