Christmas is always an interesting time of the year, it is the time that everyone goes off on their holidays and those who are wishing to do something less than transparent makes their move .
Traditionally the SPCAs throughout New Zealand were run by volunteers, they were incorporated societies consisting of locals who were concerned about the needs of animals in their region . These societies were united through the membership to the RNZSPCA which was the only organisation to have law enforcement powers , The reality is that the RNZSPCA is the only private law enforcement organisation .. do it corruptly it is a licence to print money
In recent years local SPCA’S were taken over and closed down, many great volunteers got a kick in the teeth and were left at the road side. The ambitions of those who had taken over the helm, was to corporatised this voluntary organisation , the wolves had taken over the hen house .
From an organisation which had millions tucked away in trusts and pleading poverty we now have a corporate structure which supports executives Ceos, in house lawyers, animal welfare inspectors and their supervisors and full time vets .
You do not set up such an organisation if there is no prospect of $$$$ , the voluntary system is not what these people are after they are promoting the inspectorate and the system they have for prosecution is pretty much fool proof .. like lambs to the slaughter.
A while ago I mentioned the SPCA aotearoa LTD which was set up by Gordon Trainer the former Ernst and Young partner and now Chair of the RNZSPCA . It appears that Andrea Midgen and Tony Lemmens became the directors of this company which is now owned by the RNZSPCA and filed its new constitution just a few short weeks ago , there is no longer a desire to prevent cruelty the desire is to give animals a better life .
The SPCA now employs its own vets and has its own legal team but things are not as transparent as one would want and there appears to be a massive conflict of interest
Action under the animal welfare act is commenced on the opinion of an inspector, who can seize and animal or animals . The animal is seen by a vet at some stage and later charges are laid and the person who being charged is prosecuted by one of a team of lawyers who volunteer their services to the spca .
The prosecution is passed on to the crown as a crown prosecution and the penalties are very serious . The odds of winning a animal welfare prosecution are very low part of the reason is that the evidence is trumped up and stacked against you and a private law enforcement authority has no interest in justice only in $$$. it is for this reason that the Ontario SPCA lost its powers ( see earlier posts )
lets look at some of the players
Brett Lahman was a board member of SAFE save animals from exploitation , he was also a Wellington SPCA animal welfare inspector and is now the in house lawyer for the RNZSPCA
Jess BEER according to her linked in profile has been a vet for the SPCA since 2016 her web site https://www.kiwivetbehaviour.net/ “I am affiliated with …………. Save Animals from Exploitation (SAFE)”( post has since been removed but here is a capture
The New Zealand Animal Law Association Incorporated.. The New Zealand Animal Law Association is a coalition of lawyers, law students and law graduates working to improve the welfare and lives of animals through the legal system. Arnja Dale of the RNZSPCA is the honorary patron .
Saar Cohen-Ronen is the current president he is also a board member of SAFE and just to take it to a further degree of conflict this was his role until recently . https://www.adls.org.nz/cpd/cpd-events/2412/in-house-counsel-who-is-your-new-client-on-demand
Although he is no longer in this position he is currently still employed by the government and members of the The New Zealand Animal Law Association Incorporated are currently crown prosecutors e.g Natalie Walker
Natalie Walker is the daughter in Law of former chief justice Sian Elias and Hugh Fletcher . the Fletcher in the law firm , for which she holds the crown warrant , is her husband, their son Ned is another partner of the law firm for which Natalie now holds the crown warrant . http://www.kfw.co.nz/our-people
Natalie was one of the lawyers to go on Anita Killeen’s pro-bono panel of prosecutors “14 of NZ’s finest litigators join the fight against animal cruelty”
What we find so intriguing about this is that the lawyer takes on the work Pro bono and then being a crown prosecutor there is an illusion to the court that the prosecution is being taken by the crown. where as it is simply a pro bono exercise and the prosecution may or may not have gone through the proper channels for prosecution .
Another member of the The New Zealand Animal Law Association Incorporated is Justine Dearsley who is now auckland council in house lawyer but was according to her linked in profile Principal Advisor at Ministry of Justice – New Zealand since 2016 these are her submissions to the animal welfare bill
Gretel Fairbrother another lawyer states on her web site” Gretel has also been involved with the SPCA, SAFE, Animal Rights Legal Advocacy Network, The New Zealand Animal Law Association and Oil Free Wellington“. others are not so open about it
There is a very clear connection between the animal law association members, safe and SPCA is a tight one and any one requiring to defend themselves against malicious SPCA charges is up against a legal system which makes the assumption that the SPCA acts lawfully and legally
We are not alone suggested further reading https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/activists-hijack-worthy-groups-like-the-ama-rspca/news-story/aa1e71c8807393ba757a11cf98fae767
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