CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

Press, Volume XXVII, Issue 3695, 25 May 1877, Page 3

CRUELTY TO ANIMALS.

TO THE EDITOB OS" TIIK PEEBB. Sic, —The practice of exhibiting poultry for sale at the various auction marts and in our streets, tied by the legs, has become so prevalent, and has been marked by so much unnecessary pain, that somo special action is called for on the part of the iiumane, to put an end to this abuse. A good deal of the prevailing cruelty to animals arises from ignorance, combined with thoughtlessness, and I would now plead for the principles of uniform kindness to the defenceless creatures in the absence of the good old Prevention of Cruelty Society. The ordinary custom of farmers is to catch their poultry overnight, and to tie them ready for conveyance by train or cart the following morning. After a great many changes and rough handling, causing, by being tied together, no end of suffering, they are eventually disposed of at auction some seventeen hours afterwards. But the cruelty does not end here. They may bo seen later in the day, and often at night, hanging across the handles of some street barrow or thrown over the shoulder of some suburban vendor. I have frequently seen lying at the Christchurch Railway Station on Saturday morning turkeys and fowls that have arrived by the trains the previous night, tied in bundles, and not a few dead from the pain and exposure. The Auckland police nave interfejred to put a stop to this cruel practice; cannot we, sir, follow their humane example ? In conclusioß, may I ask you to insert the following, taken from a copy of the Act: — Bye-law adopted by the City Council of Melbourne, July 2nd, 1866:—" • Any person who shall bring poultry alive.' for sale to any general market of the City of Melbourne, and who shall have the legs of such poultry tied, or the wings thereof tied or twisted, shall, when convicted thereof be liable to a penalty not exceeding ' Two pounds.' " Yours, &c., HtTSEANITT.