The Biggest Scandal In Modern Pig Farming? FARMAGEDDON – Solutions and Survivors

“Please sign this petition, We have to keep the public updated on animal welfare issues. But with the AG- Gag Laws trying to be introduced to protect those who are blatantly flaunting the law; it’s hard to know what or where to turn to next.  Please sign the petition here or further down.”

News Link & Petition:–http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=20836&ea.tracking.id=2d57aea1

“We have to be the voice of the voiceless & ensure laws put in place to protect them; are in use!”

“YOU The PUBLIC have a voice, if you eat meat, don’t you want it to come from healthy farms, where the animals are cared for as they should be.? There are no excuses as you can see in the second video…but farmers cut corners to produce meat cheaply…would you honestly want to eat the meat that came from ill, diseased or filthy animals fed with slop??”

“Every time you open the door to one of these farms, you tell yourself: ‘it will be better than the last. They can’t all be ignoring the law, they can’t all be inflicting such misery.’ But then you see the pigs, and realise the scale of the suffering. It breaks your heart.”

Compassion’s Head of Investigations.

We have created a short video to summarise the findings of our investigation. Please help us to protect the pigs by watching it and sharing it as widely as possible.

The biggest scandal in modern pig farming?

Published on 23 Oct 2013

Much of the EU pig industry is completely ignoring basic welfare laws — leading to the suffering of millions of pigs. Compassion in World Farming has pulled together evidence from across Europe — join us in standing up for pig welfare by signing the petition: http://www.ciwf.org/EUpigvideo

Last year Compassion visited 45 pig farms across the EU. We went south to Italy and Spain; south-east to Cyprus; west to Ireland; and east to Poland and the Czech Republic. On every single farm we found the laws put in place to protect pig welfare were being flouted – the suffering was hard to witness.

And it doesn’t stop there.

We believe aspects of the Pigs Directive are being blatantly ignored all across the EU, inflicting illegal cruelty on millions of intelligent and sensitive animals. There are over 140 million pigs in the EU at any one time. Sometimes the scale of the challenge we are facing seems overwhelming.

But we have good news. The response to our petition has been amazing. It is the fastest growing petition in Compassion’s history; please help us keep up the momentum.

Take action

• Sign the petition:-http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=20836&ea.tracking.id=1174f49c&utm_campaign=pigs&utm_source=shared&utm_medium=link
• Take action on illegal sow stalls
• Call on the Irish Agriculture Minister to improve conditions for Ireland’s pigs
• See Hope in London and sign the petition in person

FARMAGEDDON – Solutions and Survivors

Published on 20 Feb 2014

An alternative to the Californian mega dairy.

Humane, sustainable dairy farming can and does exist in California! In this film, Philip visits Strauss dairy whose organic dairy herd graze on pasture and are treated as much more than just units of production.

Over a three-year period Philip Lymbery (CEO of Compassion in World Farming) has travelled the world bearing witness to the hidden cost of cheap meat and the devastating impact of factory farming — on people, animals and our planet.

The findings of this journey are brought together for the very first time in Farmageddon (published by Bloomsbury).

Farmageddon is now available to order online and in all good bookshops: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/14…

Help us stop factory farming. Join Compassion in World Farming today: http://www.raw.info/farmageddon

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GRAPHIC VIDEO: WHERE DO FARM ANIMALS END UP ONCE THEY LEAVE THE EU?

“Please sign the petition to give better protection to EU Livestock being exported abroad; as soon as they leave the EU they are no longer protected… we must change this; by being their voice!

Please speak up for them & sign the petition!http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=25818&ea.tracking.id=7774353c&utm_campaign=transport&utm_source=actionemail&utm_medium=email&ea.url.id=203557&ea.campaigner.email=KmIGskm9q9s8Id8OlpmXxz%2BUx/5a9CUY&ea_broadcast_target_id=0 “

I believe All animals deserve the 5 freedom act throughout their entire life; which they ultimately give to humans for food…the following is the very least we can do for them; whilst they are alive:- 

1. freedom from hunger and thirst
2. freedom from discomfort (shelter from heat and rain)
3. freedom from pain, injury and disease
4.  freedom to express normal behaviour (without inconveniencing or harming others)
5. freedom from fear and distress.

Scientific research is constantly revealing new evidence of animals’ intelligence and emotions. This interest is reflected in burgeoning numbers of journals, books and reports. Professor Marian Dawkins of the Oxford University has called the study of animal sentience “one of the most exciting and the most important in the whole of biology.”

There is now evidence that many animals can learn new skills and some appear to show emotions similar to human empathy. They can also be reduced to a state resembling human depression by chronic stress or confinement in a cage. This new understanding of the sentience of animals has huge implications for the way we treat them and the policies and laws we adopt. Read More about sentient beings:-Http://www.ciwf.org.uk/animal_sentience/default.aspx

Three million animals a year are exported live from the EU to non-EU countries. As soon as they leave European Union borders they are no longer protected by European law. They’re on their own out there.

At the end of 2013 we released evidence showing appalling cruelty to European animals at a slaughterhouse in Beirut. Now, Compassion’s Investigation Unit, in partnership with Animals Australia, has also documented brutal handling at abattoirs and on the streets in Jordan, Turkey and the West Bank.

The handling and slaughter these animals can face is nothing short of horrendous. But it shouldn’t be that way. All of the countries we visited have signed up as members of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and in doing so have signed up to a code of recommendations on the slaughter of livestock. Yet, everywhere we visited we saw multiple breaches of even the most basic OIE recommendations.

In slaughterhouses we filmed staff moving animals into place by dragging them by the tail, legs, fleece and even by the eye sockets. Some animals were strung up with chains; their whole body weight on one leg. Others were restrained in mechanical boxes that flipped them completely upside down and then dropped them onto the bodies of other dying animals.

When animals don’t end up in slaughterhouses, they face death on the streets – an even more brutal and unregulated ending.

We found animals being pulled out of the backs of trucks without ramps, bound by the feet, tripped over with ropes, contorted into position and then tied to the ground or pinned down by large groups of people before being slaughtered. Often, when it came to slaughter the knives used were blunt and ineffective and animals remained conscious for many minutes after having their throats cut.

What’s the solution?
Much of the suffering we witnessed could easily be stopped with just basic and inexpensive changes to slaughterhouses and staff training.

Ultimately, Compassion wants an end to all long-distance transport of farm animals. But the cruel trade in animals from the EU is vast and will take time to crack. As an interim measure, we’re therefore calling for action to ensure that exported European animals are slaughtered to at least the standards recommended by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).

EU Member States that wish to export animals outside of the EU should be providing practical support to improve the standards of slaughter in importing countries.

Supporting improvements to slaughter in this way will of course not only help any European animals that end up in non-EU countries. It would also reduce the suffering of all animals facing slaughter in those countries.

Please watch our exposé today and then take action by filling out the form to the right to email the Agriculture Ministers of the EUs biggest exporters of live animals.

Viewer Discretion Advised – The Fate of Exported European Animals

Published on 19 Feb 2014

The contents of this video are graphic and will be distressing – please take action here: http://goo.gl/5MbYoR

What happens when European animals are exported live beyond the borders of the EU?

Compassion in World Farming‘s Investigation Unit, in partnership with Animals Australia, investigated the trade and documented brutal handling at abattoirs and on the streets in Jordan, Turkey and the West Bank.

News Link:-http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=25818&ea.tracking.id=7774353c&utm_campaign=transport&utm_source=actionemail&utm_medium=email&ea.url.id=203557&ea.campaigner.email=KmIGskm9q9s8Id8OlpmXxz%2BUx/5a9CUY&ea_broadcast_target_id=0

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Shocking Footage Video: Italian Pigs Investigation; Petition To Sign Please

Compassion in World Farming’s Investigation Unit recently undertook an undercover investigation into pig farming in Italy. What they found were pigs crowded together in inhumane conditions suffering routine cruelty.

We have produced a short video containing some of the footage that our investigators uncovered. We must warn you that it is upsetting viewing. You can take action on this issue without watching the film, but if you do choose to view it, please be warned that it contains images of animal suffering.

Viewer Discretion – Shocking Footage – Italian Pig Investigation

Published on 31 May 2013

A recent investigation by Compassion in World Farming into intensive pig farming in Italy has uncovered shocking maltreatment.

Following our recent investigation into Spanish pig farms, Compassion visited 11 farms in Italy. On every single one, we found the EU Pigs Directive (designed to protect the welfare of pigs) being blatantly flouted.

Widespread maltreatment uncovered

Every single one of the 11 farms visited by our investigators was blatantly flouting the EU Pigs Directive – a piece of legislation designed to protect the welfare of all the EU’s 255 million pigs.

Our investigation exposed:

• Pigs living in completely barren environments, being housed on bare concrete with nothing to satisfy their inquisitive minds
• Pigs with tails routinely docked – a painful mutilation used to prevent tail-biting, which can occur when pigs are forced to live in barren conditions
• Pigs left sick or injured. On one farm, a pig was so severely wounded from fighting that it had died.

We believe these farms to be representative of the massive Italian pig industry – which means up to 13 million Italian pigs could be enduring these terrible conditions every year.

We must tell the world what is happening behind the closed doors of Italian pig farms so please share the film with as many friends as possible. Use this link: www.ciwf.org/italianpigs

Compassion in World Farming is calling for:

• Enrichment materials (such as straw) to be provided to all pigs
• Tail docking to only be used as a last resort, never routinely
• Sows to be kept in groups, in large pens, with plenty of bedding
• Limited stocking densities, to avoid over-crowding
• All sick or injured animals to be treated and cared for immediately.

Compassion in World Farming has launched an EU-wide petition, calling on the Agriculture Ministers from all 27 EU Member States to ensure that the Pigs Directive is fully enforced in every EU nation.

Please take action by signing the petition now and call for an end to this unacceptable treatment of pigs in Italy and throughout the EU.

News & Petition Link:-http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=20836&ea.tracking.id=f2e73a6a

Compassionate Police Officer Stays By Side Of Dying Dog

“Yes, I’m writing through tears, why? well obviously because I’m saddened by this, but also; because I wish there were more people like this in the world. Why can’t all people have the compassion & empathy, this young police officer showed? It doesn’t cost anything to be kind…people around the world should remember that!”

Too frequently we see stories of police acting inappropriately – shooting innocent and friendly pet dogs, without so much as a whisper of remorse.  But there is always the other side of the coin, police acting heroically and showing compassion to our best friends.  We do not see this side often enough.

Be prepared to bust out the Kleenex for this video, accompanied by Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel,” which we know all too well from those heartbreaking ASPCA commercials.  The video shows a police officer in Spain making just a few simple gestures to show a dog he cares.  The dog was struck by a car, and Carlos Rosa stays with him on the side of the road, refusing to leave his side.

Sadly, the dog did not survive.  His internal injuries were too severe to repair, and he was euthanized at a veterinary clinic.  But before he departed this world, he was brought some comfort by being shown the kindness of a human who made sure this dog would not be alone when he died.

Link:-http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2013/01/compassionate-officer-stays-by-dying-dogs-side/

Guardia Civil Trafico socorre a un perro atropellado.wmv

Heart Breaking: Dog Braves Traffic To Guard Slain Companion

“Heartbreaking…this just show’s the level of emotion animals have! How can anyone doubt, that their feelings are so different to our very own? They show more compassion than most humans do!”

These photos show a scene that is deeply saddening, but remarkably heart-touching.  A stray male dog in Zhangzhou, China stood over his deceased female companion who had likely been struck by a car, all while risking being struck himself.

“The purity of a person’s heart can be quickly measured by how they regard animals”   ~By Anonymous

Compassion!!

He is known to locals as Zhangzhou, and was heartbroken when his mate was killed.  Butcher Xiao Wu said he frequently saw the pair playing together, and had just begun feeding them.  He watched as the forlorn dog licked his friend’s face and lovingly nudged her with his nose, as if trying to wake her.  He tried to hug her, and Wu could swear he was crying.

“If having a soul means being able to feel love and loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans” ~ James Herriot

Compassion!!

“He stayed beside her the whole day, licking her and pushing her, trying to wake her up.  It’s very touching,” Wu explained.  “Then he pushed her with his head, and licked her face.  I even saw tears.”

Perhaps people were afraid of the oncoming traffic, are desensitized to seeing dogs struck by cars or just have cultural differences that cause dogs’ lives to not be as highly valued as they are in the US, but no one appears to have attempted to move either dog from the street for some time.  Zhangzhou held his vigil for his lost loved one for over six hours.

“An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.” ~ Martin Buber

Still think animals don’t have feelings or show compassion?

“Every one can master a grief but he that has it.” ~ William Shakespeare

 “To spare oneself from grief at all cost can be achieved, only at the price of total detachment, which excludes the ability to experience happiness.” ~ Erich Fromm

 News Link:-http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/12/dog-braves-traffic-to-guard-slain-companion/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+LifeWithDogs+%28Life+With+Dogs%29

UNSPEAKABLE CRUELTY

Footage that Compassion has recently been given of farm animal slaughter and transportation is the worst we have ever seen. It shows profoundly disturbing treatment of animals. The majority of the footage is from Egypt. But, sadly we know this is not an isolated case. In recent years Compassion has reported on cruel slaughter practices in a number of countries. Please join us today in taking a stand against this cruelty.

We have made the footage into a short film, with a voiceover explaining the content. Please click here to read more about the kind of content that is contained before deciding whether you wish to view the film. Please note this description is graphic and may be upsetting.

Act now: Send the email below to the Egyptian Ambassador in the UK. Egypt is a member of the OIE and has signed up to its guidelines on slaughter. Everything in the footage is in breach of those guidelines. Our email calls on Egypt to live up to their commitment and ensure their slaughter practices do meet the OIE guidelines.

PLEASE SIGN – Petition Link:-http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=15211

The following  footage is a shocking reminder of the extent to which farm animals are still treated as unfeeling commodities. More than ever the world needs Compassion and our supporters to keep fighting and to keep taking a stand against this inhumanity. We can make a difference. Please consider making a donation to ensure we can continue the daily fight against cruel farming, transport and slaughter.

Please Note – I have attached the video purely for those who may not have a You Tube account, not sure if it will work though!..be warned, it is very graphic! But how we can hope to help these animals, if we are not aware of how they are being treated.

If you wish to view the film, which is very distressing and upsetting, you can watch it here. The film is behind an age restriction on youtube, so you will be required to sign in.

Published on 7 Jun 2012 by CIWFFOOTAGE

WARNING: Not suitable for under 18s. Contains graphic images that disturbing and difficult to watch.
TAKE ACTION: http://www.ciwf.org/egyptaction

Slaughter of Pigs – Northern Chile’s Agrosuper Plant

CIWF Steps in to Help in Chilean Pig Farm Crisis – 31 May 2012

CHILE – Animal welfare organisation Compassion in World Farming has stepped in to offer help to the beleaguered pig complex at Freirina in Chile.

CIWF said that the mega pig factory farm in Chile is in huge trouble, as pigs have been dying and the health of the community has been put at risk.

Philip Lymbery, CEO at Compassion in World Farming said: “This appalling case is further evidence that factory farming is not just an animal cruelty issue – people and the planet are hugely impacted as well. The immense negative impact that the factory farming of half a million pigs will have had on the environment, and the local residents’ health, is staggering, both in scale and severity.”

Chilean authorities have declared a health alert at the plant, following the deaths of large numbers of pigs. According to local news reports, sows are being ‘eliminated’ to prevent new litters from being born and Agrosuper has declared that it will not be moving the pigs to another location but will be slaughtering all the remaining pigs, CIWF said.

Mr Lymbery added: “Compassion is looking to help resolve the crisis – to achieve an outcome with the best possible results for all involved, ensuring the welfare of these pigs is treated as a priority and that local residents are securely protected from any pollution. We want to ensure that such a calamity does not arise again.”

News Link:–http://www.thepigsite.com/swinenews/29894/ciwf-steps-in-to-help-in-chilean-pig-farm-crisis

Pigs in Health Alert to be Slaughtered – 29 May 2012

According to reports from Chile, the pigs at the Agrosuper plant in Freirina will have to be slaughtered because it will be imp[ossible to transport them off the facility and to find farms for them.

The pig processing plant was closed by the government for health reasons after protests from the loical population.

The CEO of Agrosuper is reported in the local media saying: “They are going to be slaughtered. They are not going to another farm, nor to another plant.”

News Link:–http://www.thepigsite.com/swinenews/29874/pigs-in-health-alert-to-be-slaughtered

Health Alert at Chilean Pig Plant – 28 May 2012

CHILE – Chilean Health Minister, Jaime Mañalich, has stepped in to help the residents of Freirina because of deficiencies at the Agrosuper pig processing plant in the area, where pigs have been dying and the health of the community has been put at risk

On Friday, an inspection was made at the factory and found that the company had not taken the actions they had promised,” the authority said.

The government decree has meant the closure of the plant while the health status of the facilities are assessed and so the authorities can provide a mechanism to begin to feed more than 500,000 pigs in that have not received food or water in recent days.

This was carried out by a working group comprising representatives of the Health Seremi Atacama, SAG and community members, who discussed the most effective measures to take.

The Minister Mañalich went to Agrosuper plant in Freirina, where he found that it was “completely abandoned, without workers, without supervision and pigs left to their fate”.

Read More:–http://www.thepigsite.com/swinenews/29862/health-alert-at-chilean-pig-plant

Community members, Minister of Health want pig factory closed as soon as possible.

Meat processing company Agrosuper’s request for a three-month extension to the mandatory evacuation of its plant in northern Chile was met with disapproval on Tuesday by government officials and locals alike.

“The company initially requested a year to close the plant, then later nine months. We believe that with the estimates of our veterinarians, and specialists, six months is a more than reasonable time period to close the plant and reduce the bad odors,” Mañalich told La Tercera .

Agrosuper reasoned that with around 50,000 pregnant pigs, they need a total of nine months because the move could cause the death of the young animals.

Read More:-http://www.santiagotimes.cl/chile/health/23867-debate-persists-over-closure-of-northern-chiles-agrosuper-plant

HALF A MILLION PIGS AT RISK OF DYING IN FACTORY FARM IN CHILE

28 May – Emma Slawinski, Compassion’s Senior Campaigns Manager says: “There are so many factors involved in this horrendous situation. The impact that this is having on the pigs’ welfare, the health and disease risks to the local residents, the immense negative impact the factory farming of half a million pigs will have had on the environment – it is staggering, both in scale and severity.”

Chilean authorities have declared a health alert at the plant, following the deaths of large numbers of pigs. According to local news reports, sows are being ‘eliminated’ to prevent new litters from being born and Agrosuper is trying to move the pigs to another location. But this will just be moving the same problem to another place: factory farming is cruel to pigs, bad for the environment, and as has been proven in this situation, a health and disease risk.

Emma continues: “Compassion is looking to help resolve the crisis – to have an outcome with the best possible results for all involved: the helpless pigs, the pushed-to-their-limits neighbours and the workers involved.”

Read More :-http://www.ciwf.org.uk/news/pig_farming/half_a_million_pigs_at_risk_of_dying_in_factory_farm_in_chile.aspx

22 May – Mañalich Agrosuper visited the plant of Freirina: is cruel and dangerous

 Health Minister was to assess the situation of the approximately 500 000 pigs left in the kennel odors emanating. He said that the animals have escaped and that his deposition could contaminate the valley.

” Concerning the dead animals the minister said that “there are several dead pigs pavilions, each pavilion has a population of about 500 pigs, inspect places that there are about ten dead pigs. The waste treatment plant there is overflow of feces pools and several pavilions are animals that escaped (…) let the plant of 500 thousand animals stranded in my opinion is an act of cruelty and also a risk to the population inconceivable. ”

Read More:-http://www.soychile.cl/Copiapo/Sociedad/2012/05/22/92978/Ministro-Manalich-espera-evitar-un-mal-mayor-a-nivel-sanitario.aspx

Mañalich Agrosuper visited the plant of Freirina: it is a cruelty and a peligro.mpg

Video Link In Spanish:–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdcjosvB5aA&feature=related

Minister of Health was to assess the status of the nearly 500 000 pigs left in the kennel odors emanating. He said that the animals have escaped and that his deposition could contaminate the valley

.http://www.soychile.cl/Copiapo/Sociedad/2012/05/22/92978/Ministro-Manalich-es …

Freirina Agrosuper EXPOSED

Published on 30 May 2012 by sheshoxare805 (Translated from Spanish)

EligeVeganismo video. The opinions given in the video do not necessarily represent those of the owner of this channel. Are exclusive of what preparron this video. “We infiltrated in pig farms in Freirina Agrosuper company to document the situation of victims ignored after the social conflict that kept people and companies competing in a few weeks. present our first investigation revealed the hell of the 500,000 pigs for human consumption and held in the III region. ” Source: http://www.youtube.com/user/EligeVeganismo

INVESTIGATION: LIVE CALF EXPORTS FROM THE UK TO SPAIN

Earlier this year, when Joanna Lumley launched our bus advert campaign against live farm animal exports from the UK, she also announced our plan to trail a shipment of British calves to Europe.

Thanks to the generous response of supporters like you, we were able to follow through on this plan. So, today, I want to share the findings of our undercover investigation, and update you on our One Way Ticket campaign. Please bear with me – this will be a long email, but there is so much to tell you.

Can you help?

To mark one year since live exports began through Ramsgate, local campaigners are staging a rally in the town on 20th May. And, using the findings from our investigation, Compassion will again be backing the call for a complete end to this trade.

But we know that the buck doesn’t stop with UK politicians. We know that every year long distance transport causes immeasurable suffering to millions of farm animals, across Europe and around the world.

Please will you consider making a donation today? Your support could help us:

• Continue our face-to-face work across Europe, persuading policy-makers to acknowledge the cruelty of long distance transport.
• Step up the public pressure on the World Organisation for Animal Health, who recently so spectacularly failed to protect the hundreds of cows who died aboard the Gracia Del Mar.
• Demand tighter, properly enforced global regulation of animal transport to ensure that disasters like that on the Gracia Del Mar simply cannot happen again.

The good news is that, through the efforts of Compassion supporters and EU campaigners, over half of all MEPs recently signed Written Declaration 49/2011 on the transport of animals. This means that, in March 2012, an 8-hour limit on journey times was adopted as the official position of the European Parliament. Now, more than ever, we must keep up the pressure. We must persuade the European Commission to introduce legislation banning long distance transport. And then we must ensure that the rest of the world follows suit.

Together we can keep up the momentum. Together we can end the needless, desperately long journeys forced upon farm animals. With your donation, together, we can end this suffering

Exporting Calves to Cruelty: Ramsgate Investigation

Published on 9 May 2012 by CIWFFOOTAGE

In late 2011 Compassion in World Farming initiated a series of investigations into the export of live farm animals from the UK. And, in early 2012, generous donations from Compassion supporters enabled our team to continue the campaign, trailing a lorry carrying calves from the UK, through France and into Spain — simply to be fattened for the veal trade. These young calves were loaded on a farm in the west of England and transported, over a period of almost 60 hours, to a farm in northern Spain.

Find out more about the issues here: http://www.ciwf.org/transport

http://www.ciwf.org.uk/what_we_do/live_transport/investigation_live_calf_exports/default.aspx?appealcode=WE0512

Compassion in World Farming – Rabbits

Exposed: factory farming’s best kept secret

During a recent investigation, our team visited rabbit farms in France, Spain and Italy – where more than three quarters of all rabbit farming in the EU takes place.

Appalling suffering was documented; rabbits kept in tiny, bare wire cages, unable to move freely or express their natural desires to dig or hide. Rabbit faeces were built up under the cages – piled up to knee-height in places. And there were bins – full of dead rabbits.

Watch the ground breaking footage here. Please be aware it contains scenes of a distressing nature.

Compassion believes that if rabbits are to be farmed then we have a responsibility to ensure that they are kept in humane farming systems. All farm animals should be allowed to live a life free from pain and mental distress, and be able to express their natural behaviours.

Keeping thousands of rabbits in small, barren cages is completely unacceptable and we must stop the suffering. We banned the barren battery cage for hens and now we must do the same for rabbits.

Rabbit meat available in the UK, not labelled from a higher welfare system, is almost certainly inhumanely farmed. Please tell your friends not to buy it and help us spread awareness by sharing our film with your friends.

Help us start the Rabbit Revolution today

Currently, rabbits have no species specific protection under EU welfare laws and have been left out of an important part of the new EU slaughter regulations for 2013. This means these animals are totally vulnerable to the kind of horrific treatment we witnessed during our investigation. If you would like to see an end to this suffering then please help us with a donation today.

via Compassion in World Farming – Rabbits.

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT

 Warning: some people may find this account distressing

“The lid of a bin was opened and inside was a mass of dead rabbits, no more than a few weeks old.

This was my first experience of an intensive rabbit farm and it came as a shock.

I was on a rabbit farm in a region of Spain well known for farming rabbits. The farm was ramshackle and just about standing up. Unlike some of the more industrial units I’d visit later into this investigation, this place was part open-sided, with plastic sheets used instead of concrete walls. Wire mesh cages were strewn about the place and guard dogs barked continuously in the hope of actually getting fed.

Part-exposed to the sun were rows of battery cages, not dissimilar to those previously used for egg laying hens which are now banned across the EU.

Bundles of white fluff were spilling out from the wire mesh of one barren battery cage but on closer inspection I could see it was 8 baby rabbits. The next cage was the same and the next…in fact; there was cage after cage crammed full of baby rabbits.

Dripping urine and rabbit faeces had built up underneath the cages…..mounds piled up knee-high in several sections and they looked like they’d not been cleaned out for weeks.

To read the rest of this post visit:-Eye Witness Account – Compassion in World Farming

Compassion in World Farming – Overwhelming response to Red Sea crisis

Compassion in World Farming is saying a huge thank you to its amazing supporters, who sent 40,000 emails in 40 hours to the Brazilian and Egyptian authorities and the World Animal Health Organisation, the OIE, in response to a live transport crisis on the Red Sea.

The terrible news of a stranded ship, the Gracia del Mar, with thousands of dead and dying cattle onboard, came through to us on Friday March 2nd. We were told the ship, which had around 2,750 dead cattle onboard, had been refused permission to unload at its Egyptian destination and had failed to find a port willing to take her.

Compassion launched an immediate investigation and raised the alarm with the authorities in Brazil, where the ship had come from, and Egypt, urging them to adhere to and live up to their responsibilities under the OIE regulations for animals in transport and sort the situation out quickly.

Compassion also alerted its committed supporters, who sprung into action lobbying the two governments and the OIE.

We now have a fuller picture of what happened on this tragic voyage that caused the needless death and suffering of thousands of animals.

We are told the Gracia Del Mar, carrying 5,600 cattle, was hit by a freezing snowstorm off the coast of Algeria and thousands of the animals succumbed to the cold. The ship continued to Egypt where it was refused permission to unload in Egypt and spent several days in the Red Sea, with the dead cattle still onboard, unable to find anywhere to dock.

We’ve since been told the remaining live cattle were transferred from the ship and taken to land. We are still trying to ascertain exactly where they were taken.

Of course, we believe that the root cause is long distance live transport itself. This archaic trade should not exist. That is why will will continue to fight to end it. With our amazing supporters, we are confident we can win – like the transporters themselves, we are in this for the long haul.

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via Compassion in World Farming – Overwhelming response to Red Sea crisis.