Vandals hack pigs to death in rampage with axes

Press, 30 December 1976, Page 1

Vandals hack pigs to death in rampage with axes

Axe-wielding vandals hacked several pigs to death and left others cruelly maimed on a farm at Leithfield, near Amber lev. on 1 uesday night.

The carcases of the pigs were found in a blood-spattered fat-

tening house yesterday morning by the owner of the farm, Mr Maurice Penfold. Three 1501 b baconers — worth about $75 each — had been hacked to death in their pens. “Crazy, disgusting slaughter,” was how Mr Penfold described the attack. One of the three baconers had bled to death slowly’ from gaping axewounds in its shoulder and

back, and a fourth had to be destroyed yesterday.

Several smaller store pigs suffering from deep gashes were treated by a veterinarian. Mr Penfold said the 50 pigs in the fattening house would have had no chance of escaping their tormentors. “It is the cruellest thing I have ever seen,” he said. “They must be either lunatics or have something against me.” Mr Penfold said that one of his neighbours had cancelled a planned holiday since the slaughter, which occurred about 10.30 p.m. on Tuesday.

The neighbour feared that the same thing might happen on his own farm. The intruders drove past a rented house on Mr Penfold’s property and across a paddock to reach the fattening house. They were seen leaving, and it is believed that the police have a description of the vehicle involved. Mr Penfold said that only one store pig was missing yesterday.

“If they had wanted meat they could have taken one. At least that would have been humane,” he said.

Mr Penfold, who also farms dairy cattle and

sheep, said that none of his pigs had been slaughtered or stolen before.

“I didn’t think anyone would be cheeky enough to drive straight past the house,” he said. The dead and maimed pigs were to have been sold next month, but Mr Penfold said he was not. worried by the financial loss.

“The mentality of people who would do something like this is what worries me,” he said.

The Rangiora police are investigating the incident, but no arrests had been, made by last evening.