TORBAY, NL—No enforcement action will be taken after a lone cow was witnessed tied up beside a house during a winter storm without shelter, water, and food. According to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC), the owner had been delayed getting home due to “circumstances beyond his control” and he “took measures to provide adequate shelter upon his return.” The RNC concluded that no laws had been broken.
Lawyer Anna Pippus, director of farmed animal advocacy for Animal Justice, said: “Newfoundland law protects animals from neglect. It’s troubling that the RNC is communicating to the public that it’s legal to keep animals tied up in extreme weather with no shelter, food, or water. It isn’t. Even cows habituated to the cold require appropriate shelter from wind, extreme cold, and snow or other precipitation, and must have access to appropriate food and water. Anyone with animals under their care is legally required to ensure minimum standards are met at all times, including during personal delays. The RNC’s assertion that ‘adequate shelter’ was ‘later’ provided belies the truth: the cow’s shelter that stormy afternoon was inadequate.”
According to Rescue NL’s Facebook page, three severely neglected horses were observed on this same farm last spring.
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The original Facebook post showing the cow in a blizzard can be found here.
Contact:
Anna Pippus
Director of Farmed Animal Advocacy
[email protected]
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