Australian Society for Kangaroos has discovered four kangaroos shot in the abdomen and left to die in agony, at the controversial kangaroo cull at North Melbourne Institute of TAFE.

ASK has discovered a large male kangaroo just metres from the NMIT boundary with a bullet wound to his abdomen. There was no shot to the brain as required by the Code of Practice for the Humane Killing of Kangaroos and is a prosecutable offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

ASK spokesperson Fiona Corke said,

“This wounding would have caused a slow and painful death from septicemia and hemorrhage. Ants would have been eating away at his eyes and face while he lay there in pain.”

The following day another kangaroo was found within the NMIT site. The female had suffered a massive abdominal wound caused by a gunshot to the stomach. There was no shot to the brain. Her death would have been slow and agonising according to a vet report. ASK removed her body so it could be autopsied by a veterinarian after DSE officers refused to attend the scene.

Veterinarian Alistair Brown stated in his autopsy report,

“It is my opinion that the fractured femur is the result of a bullet injury. No entry wound was noted on the animal, but due to the positioning of the bullet fragments and the larger bone fragments, I suspect that this kangaroo was shot from in front, with the bullets ending up in the left thigh. She would mostly likely have died as a result of complications associated with the bullet injury. On the video provided, a large amount of faeces was present at the exact location where she was found, indicating that her death would not have been instantaneous, rather, her death would more likely be slow and agonising”.

A further two kangaroos were found within the NMIT site, and although decomposing there appeared to be shot gun wounds to the abdomen. Neither had sustained a ‘humane’ gunshot to the brain as required. An RSPCA inspector attended the site late Friday and is investigating the matter.

Ms Corke said,

“All four kangaroos found as a result of this unjustified cull were not ‘head shot’ as required by the Code of Practice. We believe NMIT has caused significant suffering to these kangaroos and we are calling for their prosecution in breach of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, and an immediate withdrawal of their destruction permit.”

“We will keep a vigil at the NMIT site, with the aid of many local residents, until this cruel and unnecessary killing is stopped”, said Ms Corke.
Please find photos attached of shot kangaroos and protesters removing bodies for autopsy. All footage of kangaroos and scenes of activists removing kangaroos is available on video on request.

 

Download the Press Release pdf file here.