Court Convicts Farmers for Animal Cruelty in Germany
Obernburg, Germany – A court in Obernburg, Germany, has convicted a farmer from Hesse for animal cruelty, imposing a fine of 75 daily rates, each worth 60 euros. The verdict, handed down by the Amtsgericht Obernburg, is not yet legally binding, according to a court spokesperson.
The 54-year-old farmer was accused of mistreating two animals in 2023. The first instance involved a pregnant cow that allegedly suffered during an excessively long transport to a slaughterhouse in the Miltenberg district. The second involved a cow that is said to have been pulled out of a trailer by employees of the slaughterhouse using a rope.
The court clarified that the charges related to the pregnant cow were dropped, as the expected penalty would not have significantly influenced the verdict on the second charge. Consequently, the conviction was based solely on the accusation of cruelty towards a cow using a rope.
This conviction follows a similar ruling on February 12 by the Amtsgericht in Schweinfurt, where a 39-year-old farmer from the Schweinfurt district was fined for animal cruelty. The farmer was found guilty of using ropes to pull two cattle off a trailer when they were unable to exit the vehicle on their own. That sentence amounted to 65 daily rates of 10 euros each and has already become legally binding.
The convictions stem from an investigation into the Miltenberg district slaughterhouse, which, along with a slaughterhouse in Aschaffenburg, came under scrutiny following the publication of video footage by an animal rights organization. The footage purportedly revealed severe deficiencies in animal welfare practices during the unloading of animals and during the stunning process.
As a result of the footage, the Miltenberg district authorities promptly suspended the operations of the slaughterhouse, citing severe animal welfare violations. The authorities had concluded that the video footage provided substantial evidence of potential serious breaches of animal welfare regulations.
These recent convictions highlight the importance of upholding animal welfare standards in the treatment of livestock. The courts’ decisions serve as a reminder to farmers and slaughterhouse operators of their obligation to treat animals humanely and in accordance with established regulations. Continued monitoring and enforcement efforts will be crucial in ensuring the well-being of animals throughout the food production process.
