Brumby Watch Australia - GFRNP - AVA spoke out ______________

The Australian Veterinay Association (AVA) spoke out about the Guy Fawkes
River National Park brumby cull in late 2000.

Environment Minister Bob Debus, and Director General of the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service,
Mr Brian Gilligan, used careful phraseology in media interviews to imply that the cull of October 2000
had the endorsement of the AVA. ....... Read further:

From a media release in late 2000:
The Australian Veterinary Association, whom the NSW government had tried to suggest endorsed the
methods that they used in the Guy Fawkes cull, has issued its own media release which is reproduced
below.

AVA appalled by brutal slaughter of 600 horses and NPWS misrepresentations

The Australian Veterinary Association today accused the NSW Government of twice publicly
misrepresenting AVA policies in an effort to moderate public reaction to the shooting slaughter of
more than 600 horses in a national park near Dorrigo.

The helicopter cull, supposedly using expert marksmen, was approved by the National Parks and Wildlife
Service and occurred about two weeks ago.
The issue has attracted increasing public criticism in the light of reports that many of the horses had
sustained large numbers of bullet wounds to the body, legs and even the rump when marksmen are
meant to kill humanely with clean shots to the head.

The AVA Vice-President, Dr Garth McGilvray, said the organisation had a very detailed written policy
outlining the specific circumstances - and types of terrain - where it accepts that properly controlled
helicopter culling of wild horses may be necessary.
He said: "Firstly, we would like to express our outrage at the apparent lack of concern by NPWS for
the welfare of the many horses which suffered terribly in this incident.
"Our policy expresses the view that helicopter culling may be the most humane method of reducing
populations - but it emphasises that the AVA requires that it be done as a last resort by expert marksmen,
who are regularly retrained and tested "

"The Minister for Environment, Mr Bob Debus, and later, his departmental head, Mr Brian Gilligan, used
careful phraseology in media interviews to imply that the operation had the endorsement of the AVA.
Any such suggestion is absolutely untrue.

"The NPWS did not even approach anybody in an official capacity at the AVA until the evening of
October 30 - about two weeks after the culling took place - and that belated effort was clearly designed
only as an attempt to moderate criticism of what they did.
"Our policy on helicopter culling of horses applies specifically to open arid and semi-arid country, where
helicopters can easily pursue any injured animals to ensure they can be put down without undue suffering.
"The very rugged forest terrain in the Guy Fawkes National Park is not suitable for this because of the
obvious difficulty in conducting the operation in the most humane manner possible.
"Had they consulted the AVA before the cull we would have advised them of our position.
"The AVA, which represents the majority of veterinarians in Australia, is incensed that the NPWS and
its Minister have sought - retrospectively - to infer we were directly involved in this cull or that we had
somehow approved it.
We did neither", Dr McGilvray said.