Owners Of Former Pig Farm Fined For Breaching Animal Welfare Regulations
Written by HFM News on 9th November 2022
A company has been fined £4,500 for breaching animal welfare regulations at a former pig farm near Lutterworth.
An investigation was launched after an animal rights campaign group carried out secret filming at Flat House Farm in Gilmorton in 2020.
Elvidge Farms were sentenced at Leicester Magistrates’ Court yesterday, after a prosecution was brought by Leicestershire Trading Standards.
The firm pleaded guilty to an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, relating to the suitability of environment and enrichment maintenance of the site.
It was also ordered to pay a £181 victim surcharge.
The business is no longer operating as a meat producer and there are no longer any pigs on this site.
Lex Rigby, head of investigations at Viva! spoke to HFM after the sentencing:
Pic: Viva!
A Trading Standards spokesperson said: “Leicestershire Trading Standards animal health officers visited the farm at the request of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), in response to information received.
“The Trading Standards officers, along with vets from the APHA, carried out an inspection, where it was found that the environment for the pigs provided by Elvidge Farms Limited fell below legal standards.
“It is the remit of the animal health team to protect the food chain. We will continue to act on information received relating to farmed animal welfare to ensure that the high standards required are maintained.”
