Animal activists who allegedly stole chickens at Drouin face cruelty charges

Six animal activists who allegedly stole 42 chickens from a poultry farm in Drouin are themselves now facing possible animal cruelty charges.

Police were initially called to an industrial estate Weerong Road in Drouin at midnight amid reports of three suspicious vehicles.

They later followed a hiace van, intercepted it and found five people hiding in the back with 42 allegedly stolen chickens.

‘We were quite surprised, because they (the five people) were all lying on top of each other wearing black clothing or camouflage’, Acting Sergeant Danny Carbonar said.

The five people in the back as well as the driver – believed to be animal activists from Melbourne – allegedly stole the chickens from a nearby poultry farm because they were unhappy with the conditions the chickens were being kept in.

The chickens have since been returned.

The six people have been released from custody but are expected to be charged on summons with theft offences.

And in an ironic twist – police are also considering laying animal cruelty charges against the animal activists as the chickens were found in the van in backpacks and shopping bags.