Mexborough and Swinton Times May 31st 1929
Pig Chase In Street.
Incident at West Melton.
A charge of having subjected a pig to an operation which was performed without due care and humanity was preferred against Anhur Cutts (52), of Barnsley Road, West Melton, at the Rotherham West Riding Court on Monday, but the summons was dismissed on the payment of costs.
Supt. T. Horton said the defendant attempted to slaughter a pork pig with a pole axe, and he inflicted tw o wounds on the animal’s head, after which it escaped and ran for about 200 yards down the street. It was some time before it was caught and then it was killed by having its throat cut. He pointed out that there were more humane ways of killing animals nowadays. This
P.-c. .Haworth said that at about 6 p.m., April 23 he saw a pig running up High Street, West Melton, bleeding at the mouth. A few minutes later defendant ran after it, and eventually caught it. He dragged it to the back of the shops in the street and secured a knife with which he cut its throat. The pig appeared to be in great pain. The place where the pig was captured was about 200 yard§ from the slaughter house. Witness noticed that the animal had. two pole axe marks on the head. He asked the defendant for an explanation. As a satisfactory one was not forthcoming, witness told defendant that he would he reported. Witness asked defendant if he had used a rope, and defendant said he had, but the animal bad slipped the noose.
Asked if he had anything to say, defendant said that he had kept the door of the slaughterhouse closed it would have been all right. He used a rope, but the animal, having a short nose escaped. He referred to the fact that the Superintendent had said there were other ways of killing animals but he pointed out that that was the acknowledged way.
Supt. Horton : There is the humane killer.
Cutts : Yes; but that isn’t used much round this way.
The police constable pointed out that he saw the animal running down the street at 6 p.m., and it was 6.30 before it was killed.
The chairman (Mr. J. Colton Fox), in dismissing the ease, said the police had done quite right in bringing the case before the court.