According to the Richmond County Daily Journal, North
Carolina will be “a darker place when a controversial “ag-gag law takes
effect in the new year. Supported by some of the most notorious animal abusing
companies in the country, North Carolina’s ag-gag law is designed to sweep
evidence of animal cruelty under the rug and shield animal abusers from public
scrutiny and criminal liability.
Multiple Mercy For Animals undercover investigations in
North Carolina have exposed sickening animal cruelty and led to police raids of
factory farms and criminal convictions of animal abusers. Our investigation into Butterball—the
largest turkey producer in the country—resulted in the first-ever felony conviction
related to factory-farmed poultry in U.S. history. Just last week, a Perdue factory farmer was
arrested and charged with felony cruelty to animals after we caught him
stomping chickens to death.
Come January, it will be illegal to conduct undercover
investigations to expose animal cruelty at factory farms or slaughterhouses in
North Carolina. Clearly, North Carolina lawmakers don’t want to stop criminal animal
cruelty; they just want to stop people from finding out about it.
By bowing to the factory farming industry, lawmakers in
North Carolina have not only let down their constituents who overwhelmingly
opposed this ag-gag law, but have also virtually guaranteed the perpetuation of
criminal animal abuse in the state. As the Daily
Journal pointed out in its scathing editorial, “Sunlight is the best
disinfectant. Unfortunately, North Carolina’s factory farmers will now be
allowed to operate in the shadows—torturing animals under the dark cloak of ag-gag.
The good news is that each of us can cast a vote against animal
cruelty every time we sit down to eat. By choosing humane vegetarian alternatives to meat,
milk, and eggs we ensure that our money doesn’t support this cruel and corrupt
industry.