New Zealand Animal Law Association files criminal charges against rodeo cowboy
The New Zealand Animal Law Association (NZALA) has filed criminal charges against a rodeo cowboy for using an electric shocker on calves and cattle at Northland rodeo events.
The events, captured in footage broadcast on Checkpoint with John Campbell, were investigated last year by MPI (Ministry for Primary Industries). The investigator confirmed that criminal offences had been committed and recommended a prosecution. However, MPI eventually decided not to prosecute and issued a warning to the defendant.
This private prosecution is against an individual breaching rodeo’s own rules. It is not an anti-rodeo prosecution. The investigation showed that the defendant was the only person using an electric shocker at the events. He was asked several times to stop by other rodeo cowboys who saw him shocking the calves unnecessarily. NZALA believes disciplinary action should have been taken by the Rodeo Cowboys Association against the defendant.
One of the NZALA’s purposes in filing this prosecution is to have the defendant banned from participating in further rodeo events. It is important that rodeo cowboys maintain a high level of care towards the animals and protect them from unnecessary abuse and ill-treatment.
As this matter is currently before the courts, NZALA will not be releasing further details about the prosecution at this stage.
We need your support in this prosecution and our other work, so please consider making a donation to NZALA via the donation page or our givealittle page here. We are a volunteer organisation and the costs of prosecutions can be considerable.