Have had this email forwarded to me, so thought this was the best place to share:
This is a story about a horse, a horse whose only crime was to become tangled in a fence……………………………
This week Mr Phillip Crane of Boree Creek , New South Wales, Australia, was sentenced at Wagga Wagga Local Court for animal cruelty charges.
http://www.rspcansw.org.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/42400/RSPCA_Media_Release_-Animal_Cruelty_Case_Wagga_Wagga_Local_Court.pdf
An RSPCA Inspector was called to a report of a deceased horse found in a Council reserve at Boree Creek on 7 April 2010. There was evidence the horse had been dragged to the location along a distance of approximately 400 metres. Disturbed ground around the carcass of the horse indicated that it has been left to thrash around prior to death.
During an interview, Mr Crane admitted that he had found the horse tangled in a fence on 4 April 2010. As the horse did not have the strength to stand, Mr Crane stated he placed a chain around a rear leg of the horse and admitted dragging it behind his vehicle whilst it was still alive.
Mr Crane returned to the horse some 45 minutes later and admitted using a hammer to strike the animal twice on the head to kill it.
Mr Crane was*sentenced to four months imprisonment for aggravated cruelty and two months imprisonment for committing an act of cruelty (both to be served concurrently). The Magistrate then suspended the sentence placing Mr Crane on a four-month Section 12 good behaviour bond. Mr Crane was fined $2,500 for the failure to alleviate pain charge.
On Monday night Australia Story on ABC 1 features photographer Jennifer Parkhurst. Ms Parkhurst was prosecuted by the Queensland government for feeding starving dingoes on Fraser Island. She was fined $40,000 and was sentenced to a nine month wholly suspended jail term in addition to the fine
So, if you ‘illegally’ feed starving dingoes - you are fined $40,000 and sentenced to 9 months imprisonment – but if you find your horse in distress, chain it to your car, drag it alive for 400 meters, leave it in agony and then hit with a hammer and leave the horse to die………you are fined $2500 with a 4 month good behaviour bond.
Animal lawyers are seeking an appeal on this abhorrent injustice to this defenceless, tortured animal.
I ask that you assist by
· Circulating/posting this story to your contacts
· Stand by for action to support an appeal.
