Animal Carcasses Were Illegally Stored
The owner of a business that collects dead animals from farms has been prosecuted by Warwickshire County Council’s Trading Standards Service after dead cattle and carcasses the business collected were illegally stored.
Following an inspection of a building at Dickensbury Farm, Pillerton Priors, in May 2010, Trading Standards Animal Health Officers discovered two dead bovines and a bulk tanker containing various carcases.
The animal by products found were being stored illegally as the building at the premises had not been approved by Animal Health DEFRA to operate as an intermediate plant (where fallen stock is collected before being taken to a rendering plant).
Mr Thomas Goodman (d.o.b 09/11/1970) of Warwick Road, Ettington, Stratford upon Avon, Warks CV37 7PN, trading as Farm Waste Services Ltd (trading name Goodmans) pleaded guilty to one offence under the Animal By Product Regulations 2005 when he attended Leamington Justice Centre on Wednesday 27 April 2011.
Magistrates imposed a fine of £1000 for the offence with a £15 victim surcharge. Mr Goodman was also ordered to pay £1000 towards the prosecutions costs.
The Animal By Product Regulations 2005 exist to help ensure that animal by products such as carcasses are properly stored and disposed of in order to prevent the spread of disease.
Warwickshire Animal Health Officers acknowledge the importance of animal carcass disposal services but also recognise the need for those businesses to be fully compliant with the current legislation. When information and advice is not followed, other enforcement tools, including court action may be required.
In mitigation, Mr Newbold, representing the defendant said that his client had committed the offence due to a period of substantial pressure that his business was facing.