A Northland farmer has been handed a three-year ban from owning or managing deer after underfeeding more than 145 of the animals.

Niven John Lowrie (66) was also fined $7000 when he was sentenced in the Manukau District Court yesterday (September 30) on two charges under the Animal Welfare Act, following a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).

Along with the ban and fine, Mr Lowrie was ordered to pay $7,161.97 to MPI for veterinarian-associated costs.

“Mr Lowrie was managing another farm outside of the district and neglecting his own animals at his Northland farm.

“Our investigation found that more than 145 deer were basically left to fend for themselves with poor pasture and a lack of supplementary feed,” says Brendon Mikkelsen, MPI’s Regional Manager Animal Welfare and NAIT Compliance.

When Animal Welfare inspectors responded to a complaint, they found 14 deer carcasses at his farm. They also discovered a deer tangled in a fence by its antlers and stuck in mud. That animal had to be euthanised to end its suffering.

“Being an absent farmer is unacceptable. People in charge of animals are responsible at all times for their wellbeing. The suffering of these deer could have been prevented if Mr Lowrie had stayed on top of his responsibilities.

“When we find evidence of deliberate animal neglect we will hold farmers to account and put the case before the court,” Mr Mikkelsen says.

Animal welfare is everyone's responsibility and MPI strongly encourages any member of the public who is aware of animal ill-treatment or cruelty to report it to the MPI animal welfare complaints freephone 0800 00 83 33.

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