Convicted serial animal abuser to run for Limerick council seat

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.