Pigs' agonising deaths add to list of animal shame

A crossbow killing of a pig and piglet, the suspicious death of several hens, the seizure of a dog and three puppies due to their neglected condition and the abandonment of at least 10 cats and kittens by vacating tenants.
That is a list of shameful recent animal mistreatment in Hawke's Bay, the local SPCA says.
It comes at a time when Auckland-based SPCA spokesman Bob Kerridge, has pointed out violent abuse of animals in New Zealand is growing and more bizarre cases are being reported.
 Hawke's Bay SPCA general manager Rob Johnson said: "Only a couple of weeks ago, I was applauding the community on what had been an uneventful summer. Now we have two serious investigations under way."
Bay View farmer Leon Powell was horrified to find one of his 6-week-old weaner piglets shot dead with a crossbow. Two days later, he discovered a 4-month-old gilt pig (female yet to have a litter) seriously wounded. The pig had to be put down.
Mr Johnson was appalled by the incident. "This is a sadistic act ... the crossbow bolt had a target-tip, which means the animals would have bled out slowly, dying in agony."
Workers on Mr Powell's property said they heard laughter from a group of teenagers and a "strange noise" before the piglet was found.
Mr Powell said: "My concerns are for the suffering of the two animals and public safety."
Mr Johnson said the incident needed to be highlighted.
"We've got someone out there with an offensive weapon using it with intent to harm," he said.
 "This is getting into a separate political issue here, but it disturbs me that these weapons can be purchased without the legal requirement of age restriction, or a licence."
The crossbow arrows used had the number "2018" printed along the aluminum shaft. Both arrows still had the target-heads rather than hunting-heads on them.
The SPCA would like to hear from anyone with information on the matter.
The death of the hens, who were possibly starved, is also under investigation.
Mr Kerridge said the growing level of violence towards animals was a worrying trend because it was well documented that people who were violent to animals were often violent to people.
"What they can do to animals, they soon do to people," he said. "That is very established, very, very clear."
This week in Parliament a member's Bill raising the penalty for animal cruelty was adopted as a government bill. It calls for an increase in the maximum sentence for animal cruelty from three to five years.