North-east pig farmer under investigation after footage emerges showing injured animals being hammered to death
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A north-east pig farmer is under investigation after shocking footage showed injured animals being hammered to death at his pig unit at Oldmeldrum.
Until last month, Philip Sleigh was chairman of Quality Meat Scotland’s pig standard-setting committee.
An undercover investigation was carried out by Animal Equality UK (Warning: contains graphic video content) which captured graphic footage of pigs suffering severe injuries and, in some instances, being hammered to death or bludgeoned against a concrete floor.
A spokesperson for Quality Meat Scotland said: "After reviewing the footage and assessor investigation, QMS has withdrawn this member from our Quality Assurance scheme for non-compliance with our standards.
"Animals must be handled humanely and with respect.
"Pigs that do not respond to treatment or require emergency euthanasia must be promptly and humanely euthanised by a trained and competent person in line with the Pig Veterinary Society (PVS) Casualty Pig publication.
"Philip Sleigh is no longer a member of the QMS board or any QMS committees."
The Scottish Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals has confirmed a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal concerning breaches of animal welfare law.
It is understood that pigs raised at P&G Sleigh Pig Unit are sent to Quality Pork Processors (QPP) at Brechin and that the animals are no longer sold to markets that require assurance standards.
Previously they would have been supplied to major supermarkets including Tesco.
