Airline pleads guilty to animal cruelty charges

Qantas has pleaded guilty to four charges of animal cruelty after the deaths of 68 deer the airline was flying to Thailand.

The airline was charged after the deaths of 68 deer out of a shipment of 114 being sent to Bangkok for breeding.

Animal welfare officials said the deer were unable to stand in the crates they were being transported in.

Qantas made the plea without accepting liability on the part of the airline, said Peter Frampton, a senior airline official.

The airline was not responsible for loading the animals into the crates, which was done under the supervision of an Australian Quarantine Inspection vet, Mr Frampton said.