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Convicted serial animal abuser to run for Limerick council seat

category limerick | animal rights | press release author Wednesday May 06, 2009 13:38author by Bernie Wright - Alliance for Animal Rights (AFAR)author email allianceforanimalrights at gmail dot comauthor address PO Box 4734. Dublin.1author phone 0872651720

Richard Smith ,serial convicted animal abuser must be condemned in Limerick elections

The Alliance for Animal Rights (AFAR) is horrified that a CONVICTED serial animal abuser in County Limerick is apparently running for a Council seat in the Adare area elections. Richard Smith,(48) a dairy farmer and also owner of Company Richie Tryes on the Kilmallock Road* is hoping people will vote him in as a Councillor in Adare. He has repeatedly abused animals, this being his possible third conviction for abuse to animals on his farm.

Despite the LSPCA calling for a lifetime ban on him having animals he just received a four months jail term which he is now appealing.

His latest conviction in March 2008, the third of three received a mere four –month sentence. However if someone receives more than a six- month jail sentence they are disqualified from running for public office.

Judge O Donnell in Smith’s last case at Limerick District Court said deplorable pain and suffering had been inflicted on the cattle at his farm and commented that the case was ‘utterly awful’. The Judge said they were the worst he had ever seen.

Richard Smith of Lemonfield, Crecora, Co Limerick had one cow tied by her legs to a tractor and dragged around a field, this unfortunate animal was callously left to die beside an empty water trough. But a week later she was still alive and had to be euthanaised by a Vet at the scene immediately to alleviate her pain. Mr Shinnors of the LSPCA said ‘the cow was rotten underneath and was still alive. It was the most horrendous site I have ever seen in cases over the last 10 years’. Smith said he left all his cattle outside in the Winter of 2007 but now he wants to get out of dairying as ‘he dos’ent want the hassle again.’

We in AFAR call on the decent people in Limerick to condemn these animal violations and to make sure he is not given a position of public office. This makes a joke of the judicial system if a convicted abuser of any kind can run for office. Limerick has its fair share of animal abuse and crime, custodial sentences for animal abuse bare no relation to the severity of the crimes, AFAR wants prosecutions and sentences brought in line with other countries like Scotland . We recently attended the submission discussions on the new Irish Animal welfare Bill at the Department of Agriculture, we found a definite lack of commitment and interest of those responsible for animal protection legislation.

Responsibility.
‘People who consume animal products must bear responsibity for the cruelty inflicted on any animal reared or kept for that purpose. The philosophy of animal rights asserts that many nonhuman animals are rights bearers and if they are used by human beings then their rights are being violated’….AFAR Spokesperson
• Cows on Irish Farms are treated like milk machines—confined to dirty concrete stalls for months at a time, their udders are so swollen that they sometimes drag on the ground. Cows give milk for the same reasons humans do—for their babies. To keep milk production high, cows are kept pregnant, and their calves are taken away at one to two days and bartered for a few pounds. They are no more than a waste by-product of the industry. The milk nature meant for them ends up on our supermarket shelves instead.
• Because cows are re-impregnated while still making milk from the pregnancy that has just ended, they often become seriously run-down and emaciated. Often, their back and hip bones can be seen starkly protruding. When they are no longer profitable milk machines, the spent cows are 'culled'. Many will be exhausted and leaking milk through distended udders by the time they are trucked out to the slaughterhouse.
• See http://sites.google.com/site/animalrightsviolations/Home

• In 1999 Smith unsuccessfully sought a nomination at the Fine Gael convention, Castleconnell area. He is now resigned from the party.
• Richie Tyres phone 061 467415
• If elected Smith will campaign for a retiring age of 65 for politicians and for a council bin-service.

Bernie Wright

SPOKESPERSON AFAR.

Related Link: http://www.afarireland.org

Comments (6 of 6)

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author by lulupublication date Wed May 06, 2009 23:36author address author phone

Such a record of criminal cruelty would make anyone unfit for office; make it known on his posters just what sort of a man is asking for people's votes.

author by Blatherer.publication date Thu May 07, 2009 10:00author address author phone

‘People who consume animal products must bear responsibity for the cruelty inflicted on any animal reared or kept for that purpose."

That sort of extremist blather diverts attention away from the case.

(When you wear a pair of wollen socks you are "consuming animal products.")

author by Catladypublication date Fri May 08, 2009 01:17author address author phone

Please explain why a person who pays for a product resulting in abuse should not bear the moral responsibility for said abuse, particularly when said abuse is common knowledge or at least known to the consumer?

I am asking for a logical argument. I do not want emotion/opinion etc. Please give me clear logic.

I ask because once I saw my role in this abuse I changed my habits as a consumer so as to cause the least damage.... I wonder how anyone can not do the same once abuse is made known...

Once again you seem to have a contrary view (that it is ok to support at least some abuse in some way...?) and I would like to hear the logic of that.

Thank you.

author by Blatherer.publication date Fri May 08, 2009 07:37author address author phone

I suspect that you own a cat..........Catlady.

Do you not see that you are cruelly imprisoning that cat when it should be free,as nature intended ,out in the wild mountains..being cruel,as all cats are, to mice and birds etc..

.

author by Blathererpublication date Fri May 08, 2009 10:06author address author phone

Incidentally,the animal rights movement (RSPCA) was founded by an Irishman from Connemara, "Humanity Dick" Richard Martin.

He was the MP for Galway in the British parliament.
See:

http://www.animallaw.info/historical/articles/arukrspca...t.htm

His house in Connemara is still there:

http://www.celticcastles.com/castles/ballynahinch/html/....html

"The RSPCA was founded in 1824 by an Irish M.P. named Richard ("Humanity Dick") Martin and several other animal-rights activists, the society is the oldest of its kind. With more than 4,000 branches in Britain and 19 Commonwealth countries, it maintains a powerful lobby in Parliament. The society's annual budget of $2,800,000 is the envy of the much smaller N.S.P.C.C. (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children), which combats Britain's severe child-beating problem. "We're not a particularly affectionate race," explains R.S.P.C.A. Chairman John Hobhouse. "Perhaps we fall back, then, on this affection for animals.".
.

author by Catladypublication date Sun May 10, 2009 21:28author address author phone

You suspect wrong.... I do not own a cat, or any other animal.

I note that you have not replied to my post but rather prattled on about Animal Rights, the RSPCA and childbeating in the UK... I fail to see any point you might be trying to make by referring to ineffectual foreign welfare organisations (and their budgets) as they have nothing to do with either the Irish situation, nor the post at hand.


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