11 July 2016
3
A Star News Group Publication
Clean sweep for Labor as MPs look to future
SPORT
Redlegs back for a Dandy Day out
■ Protesters slam market as RSPCA launches investigation…
Poultry sale probe By CASEY NEILL
Kelly Lachman with egg and blood on her face. 156367 “I don’t think it’s to be accepted. “It’s unimaginable cruelty that’s been documented. “In this day and age it’s unacceptable.” Ms Lachman said she’d been attending the auctions for several weeks. “We’ve pulled dead and dying birds from cages,” she said. “We’ve seen multiple birds tied together. “There are birds being killed here. “We hope that we raise some awareness and let them know that we are watching. “We’re going to stay here until the auction ends.
Pictures: ROB CAREW “We’ll be back every Tuesday until the auction shuts down.” Mr Wirtanen said they were welcome to protest, but said their siren sound effect was distressing the birds. “They have a right to demonstrate and the right to have their opinion,” he said. He said their actions hadn’t kept buyers or sellers at bay, and he wasn’t worried about them showing up again. “We’ll just lock them out,” he said. “They can stand there and protest all they like.” Mr Wirtanen said he didn’t witness the egg
Family owned and operated
throwing or the alleged assault. “That would have to be a matter for the police,” he said. “I don’t condone anyone being violent.” He welcomed the Journal to take a look around the auction room and to take photographs. He explained that the birds arrived about 7.30am on auction day and were gone by noon. Mr Wirtanen said that contrary to claims from the protestors, the birds were provided with water “but poultry can go without water for 36 hours”. Continued on Page 12
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With blood and egg dripping down her face, Kelly Lachman continued to shout into a megaphone. “You are all animal abusers,” she told those attending the Dandenong Poultry Auctions on Tuesday 5 July through cyclone fencing from the EastLink trail. The RSPCA confirmed it is investigating the sales, held at 21 Mills Road, Dandenong, on Tuesday mornings. Auctioneer Damien Wirtanen said he was cooperating and was happy for RSPCA representatives to attend the auction and stamp out any inappropriate behaviour they found. “I have a duty of care to look after them (the birds) while they’re on this property,” he said. “If people tell me about something that goes on that I haven’t seen, I stop the auction and I go and sort it out. “I’ve got nothing to hide. There’s nothing illegal going on.” But not according to Ms Lachman. “What you are doing is illegal,” she shouted. “We have footage of you abusing animals.” One man replied “you’re an outright liar” to the accusations and approached the fence. Like the six vocal protesters, he dodged the eggs and doughnuts being hurled over the fence from auction vendors and buyers. Ms Lachman played a police siren sound effect on the megaphone, drowning out his explanations. She alleges he then assaulted her through the fence, causing a cut to her face. “We came here for a peaceful protest and they’ve been nothing but hostile,” she said. Ms Lachman relayed her experience to police, called in by Mr Wirtanen after protestors refused to leave the auction site. The officers allowed the group to continue their demonstration from outside the site. Antoinette Walker, wearing an Oscar’s Law hoodie, said she felt compelled to take part. “It’s third world market practice and it doesn’t belong in our society in 2016,” she said. Veterinary nurse Priscilla Dennis held fivemonth-old son Rupert in her arms and fled the egg impact zone. “I didn’t think they’d be violent, but I guess it just shows the kind of people we’re dealing with,” she said. “I’ve seen the condition of the birds they’ve brought into the clinic.
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