Cruelty to water buffalo is denied by slaughterhouse and Wishaw man charged
Wishaw Abattoir have denied causing unnecessary suffering to water buffalo during the killing of them.
At Hamilton Sheri f f Court last week, Wishaw Abattoir Ltd were accused of contravening a council regulation as specified in the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (Scotland) Regulations 2012 that avoidable pain, distress or suffering was caused to a water buffalo during the killing of it, whereby it was shot five times with a captive bolt gun at the abattoir in Caledonian Road on July 20 last year.
The abattoir is also accused contravening a provision of the regulations whereby the slaughter of water buffalo was not carried out in accordance with the standard operating procedures for such an operation in that the water buffalo was shot to the front of the head.
Wishaw man Philip Goodwin, of Kennedy Street, also appears on the charge.
Goodwin is accused of contravening the same regulations in that avoidable pain, distress or suffering was caused to the water buffalo during the killing whereby it was shot four times with a captive bolt gun but that the water buffalo exhibited signs of consciousness.
Both the slaughterhouse and 64-year-old Goodwin deny all the charges against them.
A further hearing in the case is due to be held at Hamilton Sheriff Court on October 19.