Published on 8 May 2023
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/waikato/131978328/seventy-cattle-left-to-starve-to-death-after-farmer-leaves-them-to-fend-for-themselves
Seventy cattle left to starve to death after farmer leaves them to fend for themselves
Warning – distressing content
A Waikato farmer left more than 180 cattle to effectively fend for themselves, after she became preoccupied with looking after her unwell husband.
As a result, 53 of those cattle starved to death, while a further 17 were so emaciated they had to be destroyed.
Regina Moana Thompson, 52, of Ngaruawahia, was fined $5000 when she appeared in the Hamilton District Court on Monday.
It would have been much more, but – as the court was told – Thompson had lost all sources of income and would have no ability to pay a greater amount.
Thompson and her husband George Thompson operated a family-owned beef farm in Te Akau, near Ngaruawahia. The couple had previously farmed sheep as well, however in 2019 George Thompson was convicted of animal welfare offences and subsequently disqualified from owning sheep.
The farm comprised three blocks totalling 700 hectares. The middle block, on Te Akau Rd, was left more or less completely unattended for six months, after George Thompson became unwell.
As the summary of facts on her case reveals the animals in that block became cut off and had to fend for themselves. They did not fare well.
Over time, the cattle bred and multiplied.
The increasing numbers, the deterioration of infrastructure, lack of pasture management, and no basic husbandry practices resulted in a severe feed deficit.
Animal Welfare Officers arrived at the farm on July 28, 2020. They found 183 cattle of various ages and gender in the middle block. Seventy of the animals were either already dead or were in such dire condition they needed emergency euthanising.
Thompson had an explanation for the situation: A lack of help and being let down by an AsureQuality technician was why the cows suffered.
At least that was the explanation she gave the officers. As was made clear in court, George Thompson had become unwell at that time, and she had opted to devote her time to looking after him as opposed to the livestock.
George Thompson was not charged, and he died in February this year, the court was told.
However Regina Thompson was still highly culpable, Judge Kim Saunders said.
“You are an experienced farmer. You should have turned your mind to the cattle.
The judge went on to rebuke Thompson for her “callous disregard for the health and dignity of those animals”.
There was no way she could have been completely ignorant of the “obvious pain and distress” the creatures were enduring at the time.
“I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering the cattle went through because of that decision you made to completely ignore their welfare … You simply closed your eyes to it.
“I understand your attention was elsewhere. That explains, it does not excuse your offending.”
She took a starting point of a $30,000 fine on two charges of recklessly ill treating cattle – charges which come with a maximum penalty of three years in jail or a fine of $75,000.
However, the amount Thompson could be fined needed to be tempered. Her late husband had a 50% stake in the farm, and there were nine other family members who were also owners. With her husband’s death, Thompson no longer had any connection to the farm, or how it was run.
There were also doubts over whether she would get any great pay-out from his estate, and she had no ongoing source of income.
The judge opted to impose a $5000 fine – $4000 for the animals that starved to death, and $1000 for the animals that had to be destroyed.
Thompson was also disqualified from owning animals for five years, and banned from being in charge of more than 80 cattle at any time in the future.