AP Exclusive: Video shows workers abusing pigs
By FREDERIC J. FROMMER – 5 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — An undercover video shot at an Iowa pig farm shows workers hitting sows with metal rods, slamming piglets on a concrete floor and bragging about jamming rods up into sows' hindquarters.
On the video, obtained by The Associated Press, a supervisor tells an undercover investigator for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that when he gets angry or a sow won't move, "I grab one of these rods and jam it in her (anus)."
The farm, located outside of Bayard, Iowa, about 60 miles west of Des Moines, is a supplier to Hormel Foods of Austin, Minn. PETA wants to use the results of the investigation to pressure Hormel, the maker of Spam and other food products, to demand that its suppliers ensure humane treatment of pigs.
Hormel spokeswoman Julie Henderson Craven on Tuesday called the abuses "completely unacceptable." Read More
The abuse of farm animals is not acceptable behavior. If these allegations are true, these people were acting on their own behalf and are not representative of the hard working, farming and ranching families that care for their animals. The other thing that needs to be called into question here is why the investigator didn’t do anything to stop this abuse. He admits that it took all of his willpower not to do anything when witnessing the abuse. It would seem to me that getting the footage to put on PETA’s website was more important than stopping the abuse.
3 comments:
Hello - I have left this response on the "conversation care" forum you mention in this posting:
These actions and abuses ceased to be "allegations" once the footage was made. You saw... the lame and cripple pigs, the ones who couldn't stand... the ones dragging their hind quarters paralyzed from a life of brutalities... The brutalities in the chain of animal "husbandry" "animal
agriculture", factory farming, feedlots, hog barns, poultry houses, livestock trucking, stockyards, "packing houses"
then finally the knocking box... This is the chain "domestic use" "food" animals are in. (Not unlike the Hallmark fork-lifted, water-boarded cows)...
Little concern is given to these
beasts... They are commodities and
there's bottom line and all hat... As long as the whole (hog, poultry, dairy/cow) barn makes a profit, there's little grief over the "expected" and acceptable rate of mortality of a few dozens/hundreds/ "individuals". These animals are bred, grown, finished, slaughtered and packaged as lickity-split as can be. You say (as a representative of the industry) that if the animal ag
industry were to be forced out of the country - we will have "no control" in the way of their (better) treatment"... In other words, it's these "generous"
laws and regulations that exist here in the good old "Humane Slaughter-Act of the U.S.D.A." that insures these (food) animals will "continue" to be treated
"kindly"... before (and during) their slaughter... I'm sure these "food" animals are very thankful for your concerns... moments before and during their slaughter...
Stopping this video for the pig's (cow's or chicken's) "protection" is misinforming...her "protection" has been denied thousands of years ago when she was first claimed as "property". Man's "use" and man's "need" trump all her interests, all-the-time, ever since. This video simply documents a nano-moment in the animal "husbandry" business. Hers
was the sad fate of billions before... and untold billions to come...
And finally, I commend you for having such high views of your institution and your collogues... But if any of you were really *serious* about stopping abuse you
would never, ever be in the line of
business you're in and you certainly wouldn't be chowing down on pieces of flesh that used to be their bodies. The entire animal/"food"/meat industry
thrives on smoke and mirrors. It
perpetuates myths with government grants, subsidies, tax incentives and of course... the government is the meat industry's largest customer as well... so that's enough about who's guarding the
hen-house.
I have been on your blog site several times Mr. Hadrick... I've left civilized, mannerly comments and replies to your postings - yet you have always declined permission for my response. This
(censorship) seems typical of the animal agriculture industry thus far.
I will continue this conversation further on my blog - along with an open challenge to any/all representatives of the "animal
husbandry" field. All are welcome to contribute views on my site:
http://beaelliott.blogspot.com/
Bea,
The only comments that I don't post are one that sya nothing and only give a website. If you have a comment I post it, but not just a website.
I don't have time to respond right now as I am on the road, but we will continue this conversation if you would like, because you seem misinformed on several things about animal agriculture and the cycle of life.
One other thing Bea. I would personally escort you on a tour of ranches in South Dakota if you would like to see how we treat our animals. I could also line up tours for you in almost every state for almost any type of livestock if you would like. I think that would be beneficial for you so you had some experience with livestock rather than relying on youtube videos.
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