By donating to the Justice Fund, you are directly helping SPCA Auckland to bring animal offenders to justice.

Justice for 32 brutally slain Wellsford dogs

Help us to bring justice for animals.

The SPCA Auckland Justice Fund raises money to bring animal offenders to justice. Unfortunately the SPCA sees numerous cases of animal neglect and abuse. One such recent case was the horrific case of 32 brutally slain dogs.

On 25 January 2010 Russell Douglas Mendoza and Tony Allen Campbell entered a Port Albert property and shot and killed 10 adult dogs and 22 puppies. Both men were found guilty on four charges of wilfully ill-treating an animal.

“At SPCA Auckland we stand up for animals against unnecessary suffering and distress like this. What happened in Wellsford on that day wasn’t carefully controlled euthanasia – it was a reckless mass slaughter of a large number of innocent animals. What has been proven beyond doubt is that many of the dogs involved suffered terribly prior to their deaths,” says Mr Kerridge.

“Make no mistake, this was a clear breach of the Animal Welfare Act. The case has sickened everyone involved but we have been spurred on by massive public support to bring these offenders to justice.”

SPCA Auckland was immersed in the case from the beginning, attending the scene, gathering evidence, conducting autopsies on the dogs, determining the pain and suffering incurred, and contributing to the Crown case.

“Our inspectors were on the ground in the immediate aftermath of the killings. They witnessed the extent of slaughter and undertook the terrible task of cataloguing and removing the bodies, one by one. The trauma they experienced was immense,” says Mr Kerridge.

“As a society we owe it to the animals in our care to ensure this kind of wanton destruction and cruelty is never allowed to happen again.”

What is The Justice Fund and how does it help?

With the sad and ever increasing animal cruelty crimes we encounter, this task of bringing offenders to justice has never been more important. The maintenance of inspectors on the road in the vast city of Auckland, coupled with the costs associated with case preparation and execution of the judicial process, is immense.

Little income is generated from successful prosecutions and the Society receives no specific funding for its role in policing and prosecuting under the Animal Welfare Act. We need help to fight for the animals.

Help us raise money so we can bring animal offenders to justice. By donating to the Justice Fund, you are directly helping SPCA Auckland to bring animal offenders to justice.

Many thanks for your support.