Slaughter of Rescued Farm Animals Prevented at Mossburn Animal Shelter
Tuesday 15th May 2001
The appeal hearing against the order to kill the three sheep and 14 goats at Mossburn Animal Sanctuary in Dumfries and Galloway was shelved on Tuesday 15th May after the Scottish Executive abandoned its automatic cull.
In a last minute u-turn in government policy, the Court of Session in Edinburgh heard that the animals at Mossburn would now be blood tested for the Foot and Mouth virus.
Subject to the vets from the Scottish Executive (equivalent to the MAFF in England) finding the animals free from the virus (which has already been shown to be the case by Mossburn's own vet), and subject the the Executive being satisfied that the Animal Centre is 'bio-secure', then the animals at the sanctuary will be reprieved indefinately.
The conditions are easily demonstrated as the animals show no signs of the disease a full six weeks after infected animals at a neighbouring farm were slaughtered and all relevent animals well beyond the 3 kilometre radius have already been killed by Executive vets.
Animal rights campaigners from throughout Scotland, and from Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Nottingham, Stoke, Mansfield and other parts of England, co-ordinated by the Against Sanctuary Killing (ask) Network, had joined local supporters in maintaining a physical presence at the gates ot Mossburn Animal Centre. This show of strength is firmly believed to have played a crucial role in keeping Scottish Executive vets from a forced entry to the Animal Centre during the previous 10 days. Without the determination of campaigners and well-wishers the animals would certainly have been killed early last week.
The Scottish animal protection organisation, Advocates for Animals, worked throughout the period raising media awareness, and persuing legal moves. We join with them in commending Juanita Wilson for her determination in winning her right to appeal.
Les Ward, Director of Advocates for Animals, commented
"I am pleased that at long last the Scottish Ministers have allowed common-sense to prevail and I welcome their decision to halt their automatic slaughter policy and to now look at each case on its own merits. I am delighted for Mossburn Animal Sanctuary, Juanita Wilson and all her supporters. But let us not forget that last Thursday, had Mrs Wilson not been so determined and won her right to appeal, the animals would now be dead as the Scottish Ministers pursued her relentlessly. This announcement is certainly no coincidence. It is a reaction to public pressure and opinion which the Scottish Ministers could no longer ignore."
You can find more details at Animal Advocates' Website
Animal Aid added:
"Farmers across the UK have shed very public tears when their animals have been condemned under the foot and mouth cull programme. And yet those same animals had been produced and fattened in order that their throats be cut and their bodies consumed. The weeping farmers, in any case, are on the receiving end of generous public compensation packages.
The Mossburn Sanctuary animals, by contrast, are truly loved and protected, and the distress shown by Juanita Wilson and her colleagues is genuine and heartfelt. Their courage stands as a reproach to an industry that breeds animals solely to be exploited."
Our thoughts are also with Carolyn Hoffe for whom the decision has come too late and also the many other individuals whose animals have been killed unnecessarily.
Despite losing yesterday's round of the court battle to preserve the sanctity of her sanctuary, (see below), Juanita Wilson has gained another stay of execution, pending another court hearing next Tuesday, 15th May. Further details to follow, or click here to subscribe to ask mailing list.
Support at Mossburn would be welcomed on Tuesday
Mossburn Animal Shelter is at Hightae, near Lockerby:
Driving north on B7020, from the A75, Gretna Green to Dumfries Road, Mossburn is at a left hand turn signposted to Rammerscales House, just before School Road into Hightae
This map link shows the location in relation to Dunfries and Lockerbie. (You can zoom in for closer detail, or out to find Carlisle etc) : Click Here For Map
Juanita Wilson, of Mossburn animal sanctuary in Dumfries and Galloway, this afternoon lost her legal battle against an order from the Scottish Executive for her animals to be slaughtered in the so-called "mop-up" process to control foot and mouth disease. Three goats and 14 sheep at the sanctuary are expected to be slaughtered this afternoon despite receiving the all clear from a vet six weeks after the infected animals at a neighbouring farm were slaughtered.
At the Court of Session in Edinburgh today, the Scottish Executive claimed that the sanctuary animals posed a threat to animals throughout the UK and risked starting another pocket of infection. However there in not another relevent animal left alive within the required 3km zone, after ruthless killing by executive vets. There is no intention to subject the Sanctuary to the horrific journeys endured by farm animals, and they will not be destined for anyone's dinner plate.
Up to 100 local supporters, and animal rights activists from throughout Scotland and the England are on standby to resist attempts by Executive vets to kill the animals. Sanctuary owner, Juanita Wilson, intends to fight on until every legal process is expired, but is determined that if the animals must die it is to be done with individual care and compassion by their own trusted vet, and not at the hands of murderous Executive vets or the army.
Today's court ruling came as an Exmoor farmer won his battle against the Ministry of Agriculture slaughtering 980 cattle. Following a five-day stand-off against MAFF to protect his animals, Thomas-Everard's farm in Somerset won a reprieve. Now, CIWF is appealing for all animals to be tested for the disease in a bid to spare healthy animals from unnecessary slaughter.
Eyewitness report from ASK activists, and press releases from Advocates for Animals and Compassion In World Farming.
Report from Mossburn Animal Centre at 9am, Tuesday 8th May
Mossburn report that they had heard from sources in MAFF that they were due to have had their sheep and goats killed-out on Monday, but at 9am today Tuesday still had not received the call that MAFF are supposed to give to say that they are on their way.
They have a good number of supporters with them, but cannot be sure how long any particular people can stay, so more pledges of support are needed.
Based on this, an affidavit is being prepared, which they are confidentwill pursuade the police to turn Ministry vets away, pending a court hearing.
They are quite upbeat, having had alot of support today from wellwishers that have travelled to help them.
HOWEVER the MAFFia cannot be trusted - Sanctuary Animals are still threatened, possibly at Mossburn, and elsewhere in the country.
The manager of an animal sanctuary under threat from the foot-and-mouth cull has vowed to fight a "big legal battle" to save her animals.
About 50 protesters have arrived at Mossburn Animal Centre, a refuge for rescued animals in Hightae, Dumfries and Galloway, to block efforts by the Scottish Executive to slaughter the creatures.
Juanita Wilson, who runs the centre, denounced the slaughter programme, which has seen her 14 goats and three sheep targeted as part of the 3km firebreak cull around infected farms, as "ludicrous". She said: "I think the country at large is seriously sick of the killing and sick of the bully-boy tactics. They have nearly killed Dumfries and Galloway out."I lived through the 1967 outbreak and I know people who nursed sick animals through it. This is just ludicrous."
Ms Wilson has opened a fighting fund to back her legal campaign and vowed to stave off slaughtermen until she was ready to take her case to court. She said: "MAFF won't dare come in here while all these people are here and by the time they do come I'll be in court. This is going to be one big legal battle."
Ms Wilson said protesters had come from as far afield as Brighton to support her cause and more were expected to arrive.
The centre, which is also home to 15 pigs and four cattle, provides therapeutic work for people with mental and physical disabilities. Ms Wilson, 54, who founded the sanctuary 13 years ago, said: "The culling of animals really has to stop and somebody has to make a stand. The amount of support which I have had has been wonderful and I've been really touched by it."
The location of the Mossburn Animal Centre in Dumfries makes it imperitive that we make special efforts to contact anyone in Scotland or the North of England, or elsewhere, who may be able to help at short notice.
Mossburn Animal Centre, a shelter for pigs, goats, sheep, cattle, horses, wildlife and other rescued animals has now been told by MAFF that their animals will definately be killed due to a neighbouring yard having being contaminated with the f&m.
The situation at Mossburn is NOW A DEFINATE THREAT and the MAFF vets may arrive between 8am & 7pm ANY DAY. The location of Mossburn on the Scottish borders makes it imperitive that we make especial efforts to contact anyone in Scotland or the North of England, or elsewhere, who may be able to help.
Whilst many receiving this message will be some way from Scotland, you may know others in the area or if you have have time off over the bank hols you could find no better way to spend it.
Mossburn has sleeping barn with straw, camping space, outside loos, (inc disabled), tea facilities.. What is needs is YOUR SUPPORT.
Please phone Juanita Wilson on 01387 811288
or Cath on 01902 429912 or Amanda Richards on 0771 224 1754
Mossburn Animal Centre
Hightae
nr Lockerbie
DG11 1LE
email: mossburnanimalcentre2@hotmail.com