The farmer in his 50s squirmed in his chair as pictures and video clips of injured pigs were shown on the big screen in the courtroom. One pig had a large wound, his foot was severely swollen and he had trouble standing. The pictures and videos were drawn by the organization Nettverk for dyrs fridom (NDF). On Monday, the trial started in Sogn og Fjordane District Court where the farmer and his roommate were accused of serious breaches of the Animal Welfare Act. Between 2015 and 2021, the animal welfare organization entered 65 pig farms. It resulted in the news cases “Pig industry’s broken promises” and “The system that failed the pigs” in 2021. This pig from the pig farm in Nordfjord has an inflamed tail wound after being bitten by other pigs. According to veterinarians, the condition is very painful. The picture is from June 2018. Photo: Tor Grobstok / Nettverk for dyrs fridom Took over operations after death The Sambuar couple in Sogn og Fjordane are so far the first pig producers to be prosecuted. They took over responsibility for the pig barn almost overnight in the spring of 2018, after the original user died suddenly. According to the farmer, the barn was characterized by poor maintenance, a lot of clutter and clutter. Network for animal freedom entered the pig barn on 8 June 2018. A couple of days later, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority also found objectionable conditions in the barn, after being notified by the animal protection organisation. One animal had to be euthanized immediately. – The photo and the videos have been important for the overall evidence. Especially when it comes to proving the seriousness of the case, says prosecutor Inger Helen Stenevik. – But isn’t it a cross of thought that an animal welfare organization must illegally enter a barn in order for any violations of the Animal Welfare Act to be discovered? – Well, that’s it. But it is a fact that much of the crime committed against animals is difficult to detect, says Stenevik. She points out that the main rule in Norwegian law is free evidence. This means that illegally obtained evidence can generally be used. In this case, the Court of Appeal has concluded that the evidence can be used. Norwegian farmers will become free game when it becomes legal for shareholders to break into barns, believes the leader of the Vestland farming association, Anders Felde. Photo: Ola Weel Skram / news – A pat on the back for illegal actions The leader of Vestland Farmers’ Association, Anders Felde, came up with a good side to the police when he testified during the trial. – The campaigners had a clear and distinct agenda when they illegally entered the barn. Now they get a pat on the back from the police and the Court of Appeal who accepted that illegally obtained evidence can be used, he said. Felde believes that it is the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and not shareholders who should follow up questions about animal welfare. And that this is fundamentally important. – Our guards will have free game in the future, which will have major consequences for Norwegian farmers, he said. See the Brennpunkt documentary “The secrets of the pig industry” here. Found objectionable conditions again this year In February, objectionable conditions were again discovered in the pig barn in Sogn og Fjordane. When the Norwegian Food Safety Authority and the police carried out an inspection, two animals had to be euthanized urgently. During the trial, the farmer admitted that a pig should have been euthanized and that this was bad animal welfare. At the same time, he said that it was difficult to spot the sick and injured pig and said that the animals have generally been fine. Defender Louis Anda thought the conditions from February this year were not serious enough to constitute a breach of the Animal Welfare Act. He pointed out that the Norwegian Food Safety Authority did not report the relationship to the police, and that there is actually less tail biting at the pig farm in Sogn og Fjordane than the national average. He also believed that the cohabiting couple did their best out of the difficult situation they were in when they suddenly had to take over the business. – The Sambu couple are skilled farmers and the animals are mostly doing well, he said and asked for a full acquittal. Prosecutor Inger Helen Stenevik admits that the sudden death can explain part of the problem, but that it did not excuse the violation of the Animal Welfare Act. She submitted a request for conditional imprisonment of 120 days for the man (who was more involved in the operation) and 60 days for the woman. The Sambu couple still keep pigs on the farm.
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Photo from barn break-in important evidence in court case – news Vestland
