in the boot of their luxury Jeep to free them from ‘slavery’ – but could now face theft and cruelty charges
- A group of 50 animal rights activist stormed Gippy Goat Cafe in eastern Victoria
- They took three goats and lamb and shoved them into the back of a Jeep SUV
- Vegan protesters face theft and animal cruelty charges from early morning heist
Vegan animal rights activists have stormed a family-owned farm and shoved goats and a lamb into the back of a luxury Jeep Grand Cherokee to apparently free them from ‘slavery’.
A group of 50 protesters targeted the Gippy Goat Cafe at Yarragon, south-east of Melbourne, early on Friday morning by carrying livestock into the back of a four-wheel drive.
They now face theft and animal cruelty charges, with the three goats and a lamb yet to be returned to their rightful owners.
Security footage and video taken by the activists themselves showed two women climbing a wooden fence to grab a lamb as scared goats in the enclosure ran inside for cover.
The lamb was then carried over the fence and put into the back of the Jeep before a black goat was also shoved into the boot of the SUV, as activists wearing black crowded around the livestock pen.
Animal rights activist Joanne Lee released a statement declaring she was opposed to farming altogether, and also posted video of a limping goat from the farm to justify abducting the livestock so they could be released to open pasture.
‘We are not asking for bigger cages or better conditions,’ she said. ‘We are demanding the end of commodification of animals. ‘They do not exist for human use.’
Victoria Police Sergeant Dean Waddell told WIN News on Friday the animal rights activists faced theft and animal cruelty charges. As of Tuesday morning, no one had been charged, a police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.
Farm manager Paul Cornelissen told WIN News the abduction of the goats had deprived two kids of breast milk, and was lost for words. ‘It’s really hard to explain,’ he said. ‘We have to feed them by bottle.’