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Photos: Livestock rustlers face jail time as New Zealand tightens laws

Livestock theft, that is remarkably common in rural New Zealand, causes big losses to the sheepherders. The thefts also affect their sense of safety, on realising that someone entered their farm in the middle of the night to steal their cattle. However, authorities have recently introduced tough new penalties. Rustling livestock now attracts a prison term of up to seven years, while entering a farm with the intention of stealing livestock or agricultural equipment is punishable by up to 10 years behind bars.

Updated on: Jun 16, 2019 12:59 PM IST

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A flock of sheep being herded along a road in Ashburton, New Zealand. The rustling of livestock has become so prevalent in the rural parts of the country that authorities have recently introduced tough new penalties of up to 10 years in jail for the culprits, much to the relief of cattle breeders. (Marty Melville / AFP)

Updated on Jun 16, 2019 12:59 PM

A flock of sheep being herded along a road in Ashburton, New Zealand. The rustling of livestock has become so prevalent in the rural parts of the country that authorities have recently introduced tough new penalties of up to 10 years in jail for the culprits, much to the relief of cattle breeders. (Marty Melville / AFP)

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A sheep grazes in a field in Ashburton. Rustlers can range from individuals supplementing their pantry with one or two animals to highly organised gangs that steal entire herds or kill the animals on site and take the meat, according to rural lobby group Federated Farmers of New Zealand. (Marty Melville / AFP)

Updated on Jun 16, 2019 12:59 PM

A sheep grazes in a field in Ashburton. Rustlers can range from individuals supplementing their pantry with one or two animals to highly organised gangs that steal entire herds or kill the animals on site and take the meat, according to rural lobby group Federated Farmers of New Zealand. (Marty Melville / AFP)

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Cattle in a field at Townshend Farm in Ashburton. Sheepbreeder Daniel Wheeler’s ewes were slaughtered by rustlers on one night in September 2017. While that night stands out for him because it was so gruesome, he said livestock theft is “remarkably common” in rural New Zealand. “I’m a sheep scanner by trade (checking if ewes are pregnant) which takes me onto about 200 farms a year and I hear about it all the time,” he added. (Marty Melville / AFP)

Updated on Jun 16, 2019 12:59 PM

Cattle in a field at Townshend Farm in Ashburton. Sheepbreeder Daniel Wheeler’s ewes were slaughtered by rustlers on one night in September 2017. While that night stands out for him because it was so gruesome, he said livestock theft is “remarkably common” in rural New Zealand. “I’m a sheep scanner by trade (checking if ewes are pregnant) which takes me onto about 200 farms a year and I hear about it all the time,” he added. (Marty Melville / AFP)

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The country of an estimated 4.9 million people has about 27 million sheep and 10 million cattle grazing on its lush but rugged pastures. The farmers’ group says about a quarter of its members have reported falling victim to rustling, costing about NZ$120 million ($80 million) annually. Farming is the backbone of New Zealand’s economy, accounting for more than NZ$30 billion ($19.7 billion) in exports in 2018. (Marty Melville / AFP)

Updated on Jun 16, 2019 12:59 PM

The country of an estimated 4.9 million people has about 27 million sheep and 10 million cattle grazing on its lush but rugged pastures. The farmers’ group says about a quarter of its members have reported falling victim to rustling, costing about NZ$120 million ($80 million) annually. Farming is the backbone of New Zealand’s economy, accounting for more than NZ$30 billion ($19.7 billion) in exports in 2018. (Marty Melville / AFP)

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The prices paid on the black market are not known but Harry Stanway, a farmer who now works as a stock agent in the South Island’s Canterbury region, said it was enough to fuel an increasing rustling problem. “It’s pretty gut-wrenching, it’s like someone coming to your house and taking everything out of it, They’re taking your livelihood, it’s not a nice feeling,” he added. (Marty Melville / AFP)

Updated on Jun 16, 2019 12:59 PM

The prices paid on the black market are not known but Harry Stanway, a farmer who now works as a stock agent in the South Island’s Canterbury region, said it was enough to fuel an increasing rustling problem. “It’s pretty gut-wrenching, it’s like someone coming to your house and taking everything out of it, They’re taking your livelihood, it’s not a nice feeling,” he added. (Marty Melville / AFP)

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A warning sign at Townshend Farm. Before the law changed, police could only charge rustlers with a property crime called “theft of animals” and it was only considered an offence if the animal was killed. (Marty Melville / AFP)

Updated on Jun 16, 2019 12:59 PM

A warning sign at Townshend Farm. Before the law changed, police could only charge rustlers with a property crime called “theft of animals” and it was only considered an offence if the animal was killed. (Marty Melville / AFP)

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The changes mean rustling livestock now attracts a prison term of up to seven years, while entering a farm with the intention of stealing livestock or agricultural equipment is punishable by up to 10 years behind bars. (Marty Melville / AFP)

Updated on Jun 16, 2019 12:59 PM

The changes mean rustling livestock now attracts a prison term of up to seven years, while entering a farm with the intention of stealing livestock or agricultural equipment is punishable by up to 10 years behind bars. (Marty Melville / AFP)

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