Shocking details of illegal roadside bull butchering surface as Kimberley police call for information

Owners of a Kimberley cattle station which had one of its prized stud bulls shot blind and another butchered on the side of the road in a brazen act of animal cruelty have described their disgust over the incident, which they say was ‘death by a thousand cuts’. ***WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES BELOW*** Country Downs Station owners Kurt and Nikki Elezovich rushed to the horrific scene which was discovered by a Main Roads works crew in the early hours of Sunday morning to care for the blinded beast, which later had to be put down. Speaking to the Broome Advertiser, Mr Elezovich said bullet casings, beers and vodka pre-mixed drinks were found at the scene. “It’s not the first time we’ve lost animals to illegal shooting, but this one is by far the worst. The animal welfare side of it is just shocking,” he said. “It’s the death of a thousand cuts. It’s not just the financial aspect of it that’s troubling for me. When I shut my eyes I’m still seeing that poor bull standing blind by the side of the road just metres from his mate. “It’s very confronting stuff. I’ve been working here for 17 years and we go to great lengths to ensure we get the best animal welfare standards that we can.” The couple had contacted police over a string of similar incidents over the past few months, with a $1000 reward for information leading to the identification of responsible individuals now on offer. Ms Elezovich said while the couple acknowledged the cattle should not be outside the fencing and near the road, it was not always possible to ensure. “During wet season it becomes more difficult due to limited access to some areas and weather events causing trees to fall over our boundary fences,” she said. “This season has been more difficult with the works on the Cape Leveque road, with borrow pits that have not yet been rehabilitated holding water and attracting animals.” Dampier Peninsula Police officer in charge senior sergeant Andy Henshaw said the offence carried a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment. “Not only is this a despicable act by those responsible, it is also illegal,” he said. “The act of butchering the shot beast during daylight hours and on the roadside is a brazen act and shows a degree of arrogance,” he said. “The shooting of cattle without the express permission of the owner is Stealing and doing so from the road, is highly illegal.” Police have requested assistance of members of the public who were travelling along Cape Leveque Road between 5pm Saturday, April 10, and 7.30am Sunday, April 11.