An Auckland man has been fined $7500 after being found guilty of cruelty to pigs which he illegally processed and sold.
Anitema Tuungafasi Pulu, 54, was sentenced in Pukekohe District Court on three charges under the Animal Welfare Act and the Animal Products Act following a successful prosecution by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI).
Between September 2022 and May 2023, MPI covert investigators went to Pulu’s Pukekohe property six times.
He was found to be killing pigs inhumanely, a statement from MPI said.
In November 2022, he was served a notice of direction under the Animal Products Act which prohibited him from killing or selling animals, but he ignored the directive, MPI said.
In a statement, Ministry for Primary Industries director of investigations and compliance support Gary Orr said the “distress and suffering he caused these pigs was unacceptable”.
“In addition to his animal welfare offences, Mr Pulu neglected to register his business as required under the Animal Products Act. That means he tried to avoid the important checks and balances in our food safety system which are there to keep consumers safe,” said Orr.
Orr urged any member of the public who was aware of animal ill-treatment or cruelty to report it to the MPI animal welfare complaints freephone on 0800 00 83 33.
