Domestic pigs and wild boars living at the Italian animal sanctuary “La Sfattoria Degli Ultimi” are set to be killed by the authorities because they fall within the red zone identified where all pigs will be slaughtered to control the spread of the African swine fever. After starting a petition, sanctuary staff, who are appealing to the Regional Administrative Tribunal of the Lazio area (Lazio TAR), have posted on Facebook that, on 8th August 2022, they received an order from the Regional Sanitary System ASL Roma 1 for the killing of the animals.
The post reads, “With the saddest feeling that can be felt we inform everyone that we have just received from the ASL Rm1 the notification of the killing of all the animals of the Sfattoria. Our lawyers are already proceeding to forward the appeal to the TAR against the order. Now more than ever we ask you to help us, in every way.”
The Sfattoria Degli Ultimi is a sanctuary for domestic pigs rescued from mistreatment and for urban boars that could have created problems for the community, and therefore would have been killed according to the current regulations. The sanctuary is located in the countryside north of Rome and is home to more than a hundred animals in 5000 meters of garden and two huge stables.
The sanctuary stated the following: “The animals are all registered at the local ASL, and all are microchipped as non-DPA animals (not intended for food use). Despite the fact that current legislation categorically excludes non-DPA animals from killing against the spread of swine fever, the ASL has decided to intervene anyway. The ASL 1 has ordered the killing of all animals, except two, despite the fact that they are not sick, and the facilities have complied with the rules on biosecurity, justifying the provision with the need to put a stop to the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF). But the animals are kept in a fenced area, in compliance with biosecurity rules precisely to avoid any contagion, and they are animals removed from the food chain in which they will never return “.
The problem is that the authorities could kill the animals before any appeal is heard, as the shelter explains to ANSA: “This would make our attempt to oppose this absurd and cruel decision before the Lazio TAR in vain. We, therefore, ask all the ‘friends’ of La Sfattoria and those who are sensitive to the issue of cruelty against animals to make their voices heard. Meanwhile, we would like to make a ‘moral’ appeal to the Head of State: block this useless slaughter”.
