Page 15 - Hillside 2015 20th Anniversary Newsletter

2007 H5N1 Avian Flu Outbreak For years we have filmed ‘dead bins’ on major poultry
at Bernard Matthews... producers’ farms, heaving with maggots and flies. So, it was no
surprise that, following the detection of the outbreak of Avian
Flu at Bernard Matthews, they were the subject of a highly
critical report from DEFRA indicating that there was a series
of biosecurity failings at its Holton plant, some of which had
been drawn to the company's attention in the past.

Despite this, only two weeks later, we were able to film a
trailer containing dead turkeys left uncovered on another
Matthews’ site at Haveringland. The skip had been left open
to the elements and was easily accessible to rats, wild birds
and flies, with one turkey already partially eaten.

Rupert...

We were very pleased to help this sad, dejected
little New Forest foal who had been rounded up
and heartlessly separated from his mother...

He had been sold for a few pounds at Beaulieu
Road Horse Sale and then transported, along
with other sickly foals, to be sold in Norfolk.
Several had died and when we heard of the
ponies’ plight we were able to save the survivors.
On arriving at Hillside, with sale labels still attached, Rupert had already passed
through several hands. Visitors to the New Forest should be aware of the untimely
fate of many of the ponies they see roaming the forest. Their seemingly idyllic life is
far from what it appears. After Rupert settled in at the Sanctuary, we featured him,
along with his new friend Sally, on our 2007 Christmas Cards.

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