Canberrans protesting the recent withdrawal of animal cruelty charges against a nearby piggery were out in force in Garema Place on Saturday afternoon.
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Passionate activists of all ages joined Animal Liberation ACT with signs, placards and posters to show their objection to the RSPCA NSW decision.
After a two-year investigation, the RSPCA dropped recently 53 charges of animal cruelty against Wally's Piggery, which operates near Canberra, after it was revealed footage was obtained unlawfully.
Protesters at the rally said RSPCA NSW was not doing its job.
Canberra Girls Grammar School student Clea Porteus Borthwick, 17, said RSPCA NSW gave little explanation for why it decided to drop the charges.
"We're all getting together and we're saying this isn't right, and this isn't something we're going to let happen," she said.
"Factory farming is something being used more and more widely, as farmers want to use up less land space. This is something that's becoming an increasingly serious issue."
Georgina Eliason handed out pamphlets and photos at the protest, depicting alleged evidence of animal cruelty at Wally's Piggery.
"If any person with a conscience knew about it, they should be doing something about it," she said.
"They're not thinking about where their food is coming from, or how it's treated before they eat it."
Animal Liberation ACT spokeswoman Jessica Ferry said the conditions at the piggery were not a one-off and it was beside the point evidence was gathered unlawfully.
"It was a hideous place but [showed] the inherent cruelty that happens in the pig industry," she said.
"There is talk of bringing in laws to make harder consequences for trespassers and things like that.
"That's all they seem to be talking about, instead of the welfare of animals, so we want answers."
