School in mourning after farm pet killing

– Mara Pattison-Sowden
A COMMUNITY is in shock after students turned up at school yesterday to find their pet animals tormented and killed.
Vandals went into Don Valley Primary School over the weekend and destroyed the children’s farm area. The school is appealing for anybody who may have information about the weekend incident to contact the local police.
Principal Lesley Gunther said a few of the students were sent to check on the animals, as they did every morning.
However, she said, they came back “quite distressed”.
“They found a dead guinea pig and an injured chicken,” she said.
“I went down to have a look and found the other chook huddled in the corner of the shed – it had obviously been attacked.”
The chicken was found under a table in the shed, with most of its feathers gone, barely moving.
Another guinea pig had been picked up and put inside a different enclosure.
Ms Gunther said the animals were locked away in the school grounds on the weekends, but the cages’ catches had been bent and the padlocks had been pulled off.
“The vet told us the dead guinea pig had internal injuries, so we are keeping a close eye on the other one,” she said.
She said one chicken had been put down due to its injuries and the other was being carefully monitored and treated with antibiotics.
Ms Gunther said she had to explain to the students what had happened, and they were concerned and upset.
Integration aide Kelly Derix said it was a big shock to the community.
“These people don’t understand that it’s not only the staff who must clean up the damage and tend to the distressed and dead animals, but the effect on the children aged from 5 to 12 years old,” she said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Yarra Junction police on 5967 1104 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.