November 28, 2018
The RSPCA is “disappointed” a rodeo stock contractor was fined just $2200 after a bull was injured during a rodeo at Rockhampton earlier this year.
Peter Wallace, 45, from Prospect near Biloela, was fined in Rockhampton Magistrates Court on Tuesday for breaching his duty of care to the bull.
The court was told that Wallace, owner of Wallace Bucking Bulls, failed to ensure appropriate handling for a bull he owned and supplied for a rodeo event held at Great Western Hotel in Rockhampton on March 7 this year.
The bull snapped his leg soon after being released from the chute with the rider on his back.
Animals Liberation filmed the incident and supplied the video to the RSPCA.
The court was told Wallace told people at the rodeo that a vet was on the way, but instead he loaded the bull on to a truck and transported it to a location about 15 minutes away where it was euthanased.
Mr Jordan Ahlstrand, barrister prosecuting for RSPCA, submitted to the court that a fine in the order of $5000 would be appropriate, given that Mr Wallace was using the bull for commercial purposes and so should be held to a higher standard of duty of care.
The court was told that Wallace administered anti-inflammatory pain relief, which is required to be prescribed and administered only by vets, and that in any event the medication was ineffective to treat pain caused by a broken leg.
Mr Ahlstrand said the bull would have endured significant pain during loading and transport.
Magistrate Cameron Press noted the delay in treating the bull, telling him it was his business to supply these animals and he failed to make contact with a vet.
However. the Magistrate said the Great Western Hotel venue should share in the responsibility for ensuring vet care was available for rodeo animals, seeing they were the ones making money out of the animals.
The $2200 fine was later described as a “disappointing oucome” by an RSPCA spokesman.
“If people want to run a business making money out of animals, then they should be prepared to wear the costs of caring for those animals, including the costs of providing timely veterinary care,” RSPCA Qld’s Chief Inspector Daniel Young said.
“Sadly, that bull endured significant pain and suffering for the sake of people’s entertainment. We would like to see penalties that reflect the community’s expectations in these kinds of cases.”
