President of Dairy Goat Association Charged With Cruelty

by Farm Sanctuary

Daniel Considine, President of the Dairy Goat Association, has been charged with felony mistreatment of animals for allegedly killing baby goats with a claw hammer, performing a caesarian section without anesthesia, and lighting a goat on fire before cutting the animal's throat.

Mr. Considine claims he did nothing wrong, but written statements from four witnesses detail his alleged abuses.

"Setting a fully conscious goat on fire and cutting open an un-anesthetized goat, as Daniel Considine is accused of doing, are violent crimes as serious as those perpetrated against someone's companion dog," said David Cantor of Farm Sanctuary's Investigations Department.

"I am shocked at the suffering described by those who called us," Cantor said.

Cantor has been following the allegations against Considine since several witnesses claiming to have observed him abuse goats first filed written complaints with Farm Sanctuary in November 2003.

Regarding efforts by other goat breeders to defend Considine, Cantor said, "They haven't read the statements or spoken to the witnesses, as far as I can tell. They appear to be saying anyone who is a prominent goat breeder or makes money off of goats cannot be a goat abuser. Nothing is further from the truth."

"Farm Sanctuary often receives complaints of cruelty to animals by their owners," he added.

Cantor said the sheriff and district attorney have done an excellent job in the Considine case, and praised District Attorney Jane E. Kohlwey for standing by the charges.

"Our anti-cruelty laws exist for a reason," Cantor said. "Police and prosecutors who enforce them provide a crucial service. No civilized society can tolerate cruelty to farm animals."

Farm Sanctuary, with thousands of members in Wisconsin and 100,000 nationwide, operates state-of-the-art shelters for rescued farm animals and advocates for the humane treatment of farm animals.

Farm Sanctuary describes proper goat care at:
www.farmanimalshelters.org/care_goat.htm.

© 2004 Animal News Center, Inc.