Baby goats shot with bolt gun

Each day, workers will collect newborn goats (kids) and lambs, and deposit them in a small pen.

Lambs and kids are killed using a handheld bolt gun which shoots a retracting bolt into their brain. Used as a method of ‘stunning’ for larger animals, captive bolt guns are known for being unreliable in their ability to render an animal unconscious and insensible to pain. Yet, it is still legal in Victoria to use these devices as a method of slaughter for newborn animals.

Our footage shows baby goats continuing to struggle, sit up, cry out and attempt to stand for over 6 hours after they have been shot by a captive bolt gun. One of these kids struggles throughout the night and is ultimately shot again by a worker the following morning, but only after another newborn has been added to the pen. Another kid is seen sitting up and calling out less than 10 minutes after they have been shot. They attempt to stand and continue to cry throughout the night before a worker picks them up and carries them away in the early hours of the following morning.