Last Sunday, over a thousand piglets and more than one hundred adult sows died in a fire at an intensive piggery near Gingin, Western Australia.

Last year Westpork was charged under the Animal Welfare Act 2002 following from a police raid of the piggery in 2007. The West Australian newspaper published an article regarding the charging, and quoted Animal Rights Advocates coordinator Jonathan Hallett as saying the charge against Westpork was proof of the industry’s inability to regulate itself.

“ARA is seriously concerned for the welfare of pigs in all such factory farms,” he said. “Currently, farmed animals, such as these pigs, are regarded merely as production units. We think pig welfare comes a poor second to the need to make profits.”

The West Australian newspaper ran the following article on the recent disaster (original article can be found here).

Animals perish in Gingin blaze
ATHANAE LUCEV, The West Australian April 26, 2010, 7:59 am

Animals perish in Gingin blaze

More than 1100 animals, including at least 1000 piglets have died after a fire in the “maternity ward” at WA’s biggest piggery yesterday.

The fire started in the 60m by 20m farrowing shed which houses sows and piglets.

A police spokesman said dozens more animals were expected to be put down today.

A Fire and Emergency Services Authority spokesman said the blaze at Boonanarring north of Gingin started after a lighting lamp caught fire.

Damage at the Westpork-owned operation was estimated at $400,000.

Three years ago police raided the piggery amid claims that some animals had eaten others which had died in the pens. Last year Westpork was charged over the incident.
Westpork is the State’s biggest pork producer, providing 150,000 animals a year and accounting for 30 per cent of local pork supplies.

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