THE RSPCA has lashed out at the “barbaric criminals” who impaled three piglets on public display in Ballarat on Thursday morning.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Council officers were notified by a member of the public of a piglet that had been gutted and impaled on a pole in Victoria Park early Thursday morning.
They attended the scene and removed the dead animal but found two other piglets in similar positions around Lake Wendouree soon after.
Police believe the piglets were most likely already dead when they were impaled and it is believed they had been captured in the wild.
They were said to have dog bites on them.
RSPCA senior inspector Daniel Bode said it was disgusting that people boasted about animals they killed in such a way.
“Some people see it like a badge of honour for some unknown reason,” he said.
“Displaying an animal in such a fashion is terribly distressing.
“What the witnesses saw would have been terrible. There are young kids walking around that area all the time and they should not be subject to seeing animals in such a state.
“It is completely barbaric and has to be stopped. If the community walks past these piglets it can be very distressing.”
Mr Bode said since it was an police investigation, the RSPCA would not be investigating any further at this stage.
He said people often displayed rabbits and foxes after they had been killed, but pigs were far less common.
City of Ballarat declined to comment on the issue.
Police are calling for any witnesses or anybody with information to contact the Criminal Investigation Unit on 5336 6080 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
