The animals at Oaks Farm have been suffering inhumane acts of cruelty for years, although the neglect and abuse goes back much further.

The RSPCA began visiting the farm back in 2005 after numerous complaints from locals about the pitiful state of the animals.  In 2007, Craig Sargent was prosecuted and banned from keeping animals for five years after inspectors found cattle with feet so overgrown, they could barely walk.  The cattle were found shoulder deep in slurry, with no access to food or water and hens had been so badly pecked that their backs were bleeding.  You can read more here: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-432868/Animal-ban-cruelty-farmer.html orhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/6317741.stm

In June 2018 Craig Sargent was also prosecuted for assaulting two police officers who accompanied the RSPCA and a vet to seize three cows from his farm, after he ignored welfare advice and refused to allow access to the authorities. 

Yet here we are, in 2021, and still the cattle (many of whom are lame due to the knee deep slurry they live in) have no access to clean water or hay and survive on a few vegetable peelings each day.  They break out of their field onto the road (on an almost daily basis) in search of food as they are literally starving to death.  They are all dangerously malnourished and over the past few years, numerous cattle and sheep have been found dead in the field.

Last winter, a bull who we named Peter, got stuck in the fence.  Craig Sargent dragged him out with a tractor, which resulted in a broken hock, so he could not get up.  Despite the cold and torrential rain, Sargent refused to allow anyone access to care for Peter and he was left there in the deep, freezing mud for two days.  Due to the cold and dehydration, his veins had shut down to the extent that the vet was unable to gain IV access in order to euthanise him peacefully.  Peter had to be shot.

Do not let Peter’s death be in vain.  Do not let any more innocent animals suffer at the hands of Craig Sargent.  Let’s close this farm down, once and for all.