Farm Worker Convicted of Animal Cruelty on UK Dairy Farm
Cruelty is standard practice on dairy farms. Cows endure miserable lives as they’re treated like machines and calves are separated from their mother’s at a very young age so a mother’s milk can be sold to humans. However, during a recent investigation into a dairy farm in Somerset in the UK, our team revealed shocking cases of abuse towards cows and their calves. Hidden camera footage showed workers:
- Violently punching tiny calves and kicking cows in the face
- Slamming large metal gates into cows
- Pinning calves to the floor and shouting obscenities in their face
Upon discovering this shocking abuse, Animal Equality submitted the evidence to the RSPCA and demanded that those responsible be brought to justice. One of the workers, a teenage apprentice, pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty on Monday after the RSPCA brought a case against him. Lindi Meyer, prosecutor for the RSPCA, said the “violence was unprovoked and totally unnecessary.” She added that expert vet Andrew Biggs commented that the animals would have suffered “considerable distress” in what he described as “the worst example of abusive behavior I have seen in 35 years” in his job. Upon the conviction, Dr Toni Shephard, executive director of Animal Equality UK, said: ‘We are pleased that Owen Nichol has been convicted for his terrible violence against dairy cows and young calves, and we hope that he will receive the harshest sentence possible. “We would like to thank the RSPCA for acting upon our evidence so quickly and bringing forward a prosecution for this unthinkable cruelty to vulnerable animals.” Animal Equality will be at the sentencing hearing on April 26. Remember you can help the millions of cows who suffer through miserable lives on dairy farms by simply ditching dairy. Get the deets on all the incredibly delicious and healthful plant-based milks available here.
