For the billions of animals at factory farms across America, life is absolute hell. We relegate them to intense and unimaginable cruelties: extreme confinement; brutal
mutilations; and bloody, violent deaths.
mutilations; and bloody, violent deaths.
Despite being similar to dogs and cats in all the ways that
matter, farmed animals have nearly no legal protections.
matter, farmed animals have nearly no legal protections.
That’s right, not
a single federal law protects farmed animals during their lives at factory
farms. What’s more, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act excludes birds and rabbits,
leaving 95 percent of the animals raised and killed for food in the U.S. with
essentially no protections.
a single federal law protects farmed animals during their lives at factory
farms. What’s more, the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act excludes birds and rabbits,
leaving 95 percent of the animals raised and killed for food in the U.S. with
essentially no protections.
So which abusive practices at factory farms are considered
legal? Here is a brief list.
legal? Here is a brief list.
1. Thumping
Piglets who are too sick or not growing fast enough are
killed by being slammed headfirst onto concrete floors. This is considered an
acceptable form of “euthanasia by the industry and is 100 percent legal.
killed by being slammed headfirst onto concrete floors. This is considered an
acceptable form of “euthanasia by the industry and is 100 percent legal.
2. Tail Docking
Although outlawed in a few states, tail docking is a common
practice. It involves cutting through the sensitive skin, nerves, and bones of
calves’ tails without any painkillers. This purposeless and inhumane practice
has been condemned by animal welfare experts.
practice. It involves cutting through the sensitive skin, nerves, and bones of
calves’ tails without any painkillers. This purposeless and inhumane practice
has been condemned by animal welfare experts.
3. Dehorning
Farmers burn or saw off the horns of cattle
without anesthetics. This cruel practice, which often leads to infection, is
100 percent legal.
without anesthetics. This cruel practice, which often leads to infection, is
100 percent legal.
4. Debeaking
Perpetrated by the egg and poultry industries, debeaking is the painful removal of the
tip of a bird’s beak, usually with a hot blade.
tip of a bird’s beak, usually with a hot blade.
5. Castration
Within days of being born, male piglets are castrated without painkillers. Farmers
use a blade to slice open the scrotum and then pull out the testicles.
use a blade to slice open the scrotum and then pull out the testicles.
6. Maceration
Since male chicks will never lay eggs and don’t grow quickly
enough to be raised profitably for meat, they’re killed within hours of
hatching. These young animals are often ground up alive in macerators.
enough to be raised profitably for meat, they’re killed within hours of
hatching. These young animals are often ground up alive in macerators.
7. Extreme Confinement
To maximize profit, animals at factory farms are kept in
cramped, disease-ridden conditions, and many won’t see the sun until they’re on
their way to the slaughterhouse.
cramped, disease-ridden conditions, and many won’t see the sun until they’re on
their way to the slaughterhouse.
8. Breaking Up Families
At factory farms babies are often ripped away from their
mothers, causing severe distress for both mothers and their young.
mothers, causing severe distress for both mothers and their young.
—
These heartbreaking and barbaric acts are ALL 100 percent
legal and they show the complete disrespect for animals at factory farms.
legal and they show the complete disrespect for animals at factory farms.
The best way to oppose this abuse is to remove our support
from the cruel meat, dairy, and egg industries by switching to a compassionate
vegan diet. Click here to get
started!
from the cruel meat, dairy, and egg industries by switching to a compassionate
vegan diet. Click here to get
started!
