Mercy For Animals has conducted over 60
investigations on the ground in four countries. But did you know about our six
drone investigations? That’s right. Thanks to Mark Devries, MFA’s certified
drone pilot (and the director and star of this documentary), we’ve used high-tech
drones to expose just how dangerously vast and insidious factory farms are.
investigations on the ground in four countries. But did you know about our six
drone investigations? That’s right. Thanks to Mark Devries, MFA’s certified
drone pilot (and the director and star of this documentary), we’ve used high-tech
drones to expose just how dangerously vast and insidious factory farms are.
While documenting the horrific abuse that goes on inside the
windowless sheds of factory farms is important, with drones we’re able to capture
the scale of these facilities, which is often difficult to comprehend.
windowless sheds of factory farms is important, with drones we’re able to capture
the scale of these facilities, which is often difficult to comprehend.
In a piece for EcoWatch, Mark Devries, MFA’s special
projects and drone investigations manager, writes:
projects and drone investigations manager, writes:
The animal agriculture industry spends millions on deceptive advertising
to persuade consumers that farmed animals roam freely on bucolic pastures. But
I’ve been piloting drones over animal agriculture facilities for several years,
and the video I’ve captured tells a far different story.
In November 2016, Mark
and MFA released the first drone investigation of an enormous industrial cattle
feedlot. The footage shows large manure pits with a stench that traveled miles.
It also shows cows in muddy pens with no access to trees or grass.
and MFA released the first drone investigation of an enormous industrial cattle
feedlot. The footage shows large manure pits with a stench that traveled miles.
It also shows cows in muddy pens with no access to trees or grass.
See for yourself.
Early last year, we released a second drone investigation revealing what a dairy farm actually
looks like. Spoiler: You’ll see no green pastures with trees, only massive muddy
pens crammed with cows living in their own waste.
looks like. Spoiler: You’ll see no green pastures with trees, only massive muddy
pens crammed with cows living in their own waste.
Watch.
Then we headed to
a pig factory farm. We found a series of windowless metal buildings packed
with pigs. Sadly, the only time these animals saw sunlight was on their walk to
the transport trucks where they’d be loaded and then shipped to the
slaughterhouse.
a pig factory farm. We found a series of windowless metal buildings packed
with pigs. Sadly, the only time these animals saw sunlight was on their walk to
the transport trucks where they’d be loaded and then shipped to the
slaughterhouse.
The drone also captured footage of giant manure
pits, often larger than several football fields. Nearby our drone exposed
“dead piles, or pits of trash and dead pigs.
pits, often larger than several football fields. Nearby our drone exposed
“dead piles, or pits of trash and dead pigs.
Sounds awful, right?
Most recently our drones uncovered the dirty truth behind egg farming.
While egg industry advertisements depict red barns, the reality is that the
majority of eggs come from windowless sheds where hens
are kept in cages so small the birds are unable to move. Like other factory farmers, egg factory
farmers dump animal waste into open manure pits where the stench
of animal waste nauseates for miles.
While egg industry advertisements depict red barns, the reality is that the
majority of eggs come from windowless sheds where hens
are kept in cages so small the birds are unable to move. Like other factory farmers, egg factory
farmers dump animal waste into open manure pits where the stench
of animal waste nauseates for miles.
See for yourself.
Our drone investigations are giving people a bird’s-eye view
of just how dangerous and cruel factory farming is. Pigs, cows, and chickens are treated like unfeeling objects,
and their short lives are marked by unimaginable cruelties: intensive
confinement, agonizing mutilations, and violent deaths.
of just how dangerous and cruel factory farming is. Pigs, cows, and chickens are treated like unfeeling objects,
and their short lives are marked by unimaginable cruelties: intensive
confinement, agonizing mutilations, and violent deaths.
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