Tyson Foods Inc. and
six of its slaughterhouse workers face charges of 33 counts of criminal animal
cruelty after they were captured on hidden camera by a Mercy For Animals
investigator violently punching, throwing, and maliciously torturing animals for
fun.
six of its slaughterhouse workers face charges of 33 counts of criminal animal
cruelty after they were captured on hidden camera by a Mercy For Animals
investigator violently punching, throwing, and maliciously torturing animals for
fun.
An MFA investigator
documented alarming animal cruelty at Tyson Foods’ slaughterhouse just outside
of Carthage, Mississippi—one of the largest poultry slaughterhouses in the
entire world—revealing a culture of sadistic abuse and needless suffering.
documented alarming animal cruelty at Tyson Foods’ slaughterhouse just outside
of Carthage, Mississippi—one of the largest poultry slaughterhouses in the
entire world—revealing a culture of sadistic abuse and needless suffering.
In addition to punching
and throwing animals, workers were caught beating, shoving, and otherwise
tormenting frightened animals for fun. Improperly shackled birds were
documented getting their heads ripped off while they were still alive and
conscious. Due to facility conditions, birds were painfully shocked with
electricity but remained fully conscious when their throats were cut open. Chickens
were also dumped on top of each other on a conveyor belt, causing many to
suffocate under the weight of other birds.
and throwing animals, workers were caught beating, shoving, and otherwise
tormenting frightened animals for fun. Improperly shackled birds were
documented getting their heads ripped off while they were still alive and
conscious. Due to facility conditions, birds were painfully shocked with
electricity but remained fully conscious when their throats were cut open. Chickens
were also dumped on top of each other on a conveyor belt, causing many to
suffocate under the weight of other birds.
Watch the video footage that led to these charges here:
This is the third
undercover investigation of a Tyson facility released by MFA since July 2015. All
have exposed the ongoing and systemic animal abuse in Tyson Foods’ poultry
supply chain.
undercover investigation of a Tyson facility released by MFA since July 2015. All
have exposed the ongoing and systemic animal abuse in Tyson Foods’ poultry
supply chain.
The owners of T
& S Farm, a Tyson contract farm in Tennessee, were also recently charged
with criminal animal cruelty after an MFA investigation revealed the farm
owners beating and stabbing
chickens using a spiked club, standing on the birds’ necks, and throwing live
birds into buckets to suffer and slowly die.
& S Farm, a Tyson contract farm in Tennessee, were also recently charged
with criminal animal cruelty after an MFA investigation revealed the farm
owners beating and stabbing
chickens using a spiked club, standing on the birds’ necks, and throwing live
birds into buckets to suffer and slowly die.
Although chickens
account for more than 95 percent of the animals killed for food in the U.S.,
they are not covered by the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. MFA is
calling on Tyson Foods to implement meaningful animal welfare requirements for
all of its company-owned and contract farms and slaughterhouses. Tyson Foods
has the power as well as the ethical responsibility to end the worst forms of
animal cruelty.
account for more than 95 percent of the animals killed for food in the U.S.,
they are not covered by the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. MFA is
calling on Tyson Foods to implement meaningful animal welfare requirements for
all of its company-owned and contract farms and slaughterhouses. Tyson Foods
has the power as well as the ethical responsibility to end the worst forms of
animal cruelty.
Specifically, MFA is
urging Tyson to replace live-shackle slaughter methods with less cruel
controlled atmosphere systems that eliminate the horrific suffering caused by
shackling, shocking, and slitting the throats of conscious animals. With these USDA-approved
systems, workers never handle live birds. The change would minimize malicious
animal abuse by slaughterhouse workers and ensure that no animals have their
heads ripped off while fully conscious or are scalded alive in feather-removal
tanks—something the USDA estimates happens to as many as 1 million birds per
year in the U.S.
urging Tyson to replace live-shackle slaughter methods with less cruel
controlled atmosphere systems that eliminate the horrific suffering caused by
shackling, shocking, and slitting the throats of conscious animals. With these USDA-approved
systems, workers never handle live birds. The change would minimize malicious
animal abuse by slaughterhouse workers and ensure that no animals have their
heads ripped off while fully conscious or are scalded alive in feather-removal
tanks—something the USDA estimates happens to as many as 1 million birds per
year in the U.S.
While these charges are a clear message to the industry that animal cruelty is unacceptable, the best way to ensure that chickens are protected from such horrific abuse is to leave them off your plate. Click here to get started with free vegetarian recipes and tips!
