According to a recent article by the CBC, Farm and Food Care Ontario, a farming industry group, has determined that methane and ammonia gases released by farmed animals is a contributor to barn fires.
The organization stated that “corroded electrical components, exacerbated by the gases produced by livestock is a leading cause of devastating barn fires.
Bruce Kelly, a program manager at FFCO, said, “In swine and certain parts of dairy barns, there are corrosive gases like methane and ammonia.
Yes, you read that right. The methane and ammonia released by the thousands of animals kept in cramped, filthy conditions dangerously damage electrical systems. Factory farming is turning barns into actual ticking time bombs.
FFCO has identified barn fires as “one of the most important animal welfare issues impacting farmers and the public’s perception of farming.
Sadly, deadly barn fires are becoming increasingly common. Data from Ontario’s Office of the Fire Marshal shows barn fires involving animals average 71 a year, causing countless fatalities. The United States averages more than 1,200 barn fires each year.
Earlier this year, an overnight barn fire at Van Boekel Farms, a pig farm in Oxford County, Ontario, killed over 3,000 pigs. Just a month later, 5,000 pigs burned alive in a massive barn fire in Wayne Township, Ohio.
Farmed animals feel fear and pain just like the dogs and cats we love at home. But tragically, thousands of them perish every year in barn fires.
While numerous efforts have been undertaken to force factory farmers to install sprinklers to protect animals, the industry has pushed back, claiming these measures would be too costly. Clearly the industry cares only about profits.
Whether killed in a barn fire or a slaughterhouse, farmed animals are subjected to unspeakable cruelties: extreme confinement, brutal mutilations, and violent deaths.
See for yourself.
But you have more power than you think. We can all withdraw our support from this cruel and destructive industry by ditching meat, dairy, and eggs in favor of healthy, humane vegan alternatives.
Order your FREE Vegetarian Starter Guide today. And check out our Pinterest page for thousands of recipe ideas!
