NEW PIG CRUELTY FOOTAGE SHOCKS

The country's most viewed current affairs programme, Close Up, revealed shocking new footage last week taken on the same farm exposed by Mike King fifteen months ago. SAFE has demanded the farm be closed down immediately and that consumers boycott pork products.

The Mike King exposé of Colin Kay's pig farm near Levin, opened the eyes of the nation to the cruelty of factory pig farming. The public was outraged and the Government promised action. Fifteen months after the exposé, activists from the group Open Rescue once again visited the farm and found that conditions had deteriorated even further. They discovered sows in tiny crates with open, bleeding sores, injured feet, prolapses, gangrenous looking flesh wounds and one poor sow unable to stand up. The most distressing find, however, was a sow with a badly lacerated, infected and swollen ear. This animal was in great distress, shaking her head in agony spraying blood all over the surrounding area including the sows crated next to her.

SAFE campaign director Hans Kriek made an official complaint to MAF, calling for an urgent investigation.

"I was appalled and shocked when I watched the footage," says Hans. "Nothing has improved on this dreadful farm. In fact, it is even worse than before. I hope that MAF will finally take action against this farmer, but based on previous experience I fear that once again he will be let off."

MAF has investigated Colin Kay's farm twice before and despite obvious animal suffering, found no breaches of the Animal Welfare Act.

"This simply shows how pathetic animal welfare legislation is in New Zealand," says Hans." The whole of New Zealand was disgusted by the images of the suffering sows last year, including our agriculture Minister and Prime Minister, and yet our law says this is legal? Something is not right here!"

SAFE provided footage of the injured sows to current affairs show Close Up and a debate was arranged between farmer Colin Kay and SAFE campaign director Hans Kriek. After watching the horrific footage, Colin Kay changed his mind and pulled out of the interview at the last minute, causing Close Up to cancel the story.

"Clearly Colin Kay was not man enough to publicly defend his house of horrors pig farm," says Hans.

Fortunately, Close Up reviewed their decision the following day, which eventually lead to the NZ Pork Industry Board CEO, Sam McIvor, and Hans Kriek appearing with Mike Hosking in the lead story. It was immediately obvious that Hosking was not prepared to accept any further hollow excuses from McIvor which item left McIvor rather grilled, speechless and somewhat defeated.

Click here to watch Close Up.