BOBBY CALF TRAFFIC.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 224, 21 August 1935, Page 5

BOBBY CALF TRAFFIC.

(To the Editor.) s Sir,—l notice several correspondents s ' have been calling attention to the i * bobbv calf industry. “Observer” states f it is time the S.P.C.A. took the mat- j ter up. Tin's is the very thing the whole of the (171 branches in the Do- ' minion are doing; they have a federation and it is hoped by union to bring more pressure to bear on the Govern- 1 ment to get many reforms needed. J One, the above traffic, is causing the j * societies considerable thought. Then, >- again, there is the slaughtering of am- t nials. If it is necessary for human be- ® ings to eat the flesh of animals, surely it is only bare justice that they be ' killed in* the most humane methods, t In some slaughter houses the methods 1 are not yet the most modern known. ' This is not a pleasant subject by any I means and 1 will not go into details. c but all who eat meat have a moral duty towards the animals and should assist the societies. There is no reason f why humane slaughtering cannot be t made compulsory by the Government i as is done in England, Germany, Swit- i Zealand, and other Continental couu- t tries. Tam glad to say that in a mini- ; ber of the Dominion freezing works and also in abattoirs the numane killer ! is being used, but we as a society want it made compulsory in all. What a ■ large number of local residents, when asked to support the society, say, “Oh! There is no cruelty nowadays.” I am sorry t.o say that this is not true — never a day or night passes without

complaints and it means visits to be made at all hours. One only a few weeks ago at midnight was to Linton; another to AVoodville, and yet another to Tokorangi. Then, at 3 a.m., to cattle n distress. All this means a deal of expense in travelling by the honorary officers of the society. There is no paid officer as the society depends entirely on voluntary contributions and these are few and far between. There are considerable numbers of dogs and eats to lie attended to, having been injured by increasing motor traffic. The society have numerous letters congratulating them on their excellent work; in many cases repairing fractures ;to valuable pets. The society would ! liko it known that arrangements have | been made to have pets destroyed | where necessary, and owners should be | thankful that their pets he put to j sleep painlessly. The S.P.C.A. work i here is much behind the Old Country’s, 1 and wo have no animal protection Act proper, but work under Section 7 of the Police Offences Act. There is a good need for an Act making it punishable to perpetrate many cruelties that are practised for which, I regret to state, convictions cannot ho obtained under the present laws. For example, the traffic in hobby calves, i There are many abuses, one of the chief being the sending of these little defencesless creatures one or two days old long journeys | by lorrv or rail to the works, j It is illogal to send them under three days old, hut as the calves from I various farms arc sent together it is j almost impossible to prosecute. The so- '■ ciety wants to make the owner “tag” j every calf with his name. Then and j then only will abuses he stopped. Then, trucks are at times overcrowded land calves suffer. If the loading could be watched—and not as happened in) one train load 57 were counted dead- | much suffering could ho prevented. \ That means more inspectors. The S.P.C.A. are extremely grateful to the Press for their assistance and help. In conclusion, 1 strongly appeal to everyone to do his “bit” in assisting the S.P.C.A. in their work. AA’e need it—for those who cannoi help themselves.—l am, etc., A. V. AVIMSETT. Hon. Secretary, S.P.C.A.