Farmed Animal Watch-First Hen Prosecution Sends Warning to Industry

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Welcome to Farmed Animal Watch! Subscribe to Farmed Animal Watch SEPTEMBER 29 , 2007 -- Number 28, Volume 7 1. ILLINOIS UPHOLDS LAW AGAINST HORSE SLAUGHTER On September 21st, a 3-judge U.S. Court of Appeals panel unanimously upheld the constitutionality of an Illinois law against the slaughter of horses for human consumption (see: http://tinyurl.com/35ub2n ). Cavel International Inc., owner of the last operating horse slaughterplant in the U.S., had sought reversal of the statute which also bans the possession, import or export of

horse meat for human consumption. Cavel argued that the state law discriminated against foreign commerce. While expressing some reluctance, the panel cited bans on animal fighting in support of its decision. The 15-page decision stated: “…a state is permitted, within reason, to express disgust at what people do with the dead, whether dead human beings or dead animals. There would be an uproar if restaurants in Chicago started serving cat and dog steaks, even though millions of stray cats and dogs are euthanized in animal shelters” (see: http://tinyurl.com/2tcuj5 ). The court also said the import/export ban was aimed at middlemen rather than the slaughterplant (see: http://tinyurl.com/3cemsz ). Cavel can permanently close, it can request the full court reconsider the decision, or it can appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which earlier refused such a request about a similar Texas law. Texas state Representative Warren Chisum, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, has asked the attorney general if horse meat intended for human consumption can be stored and transported in Texas without being taxed. A representative of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) counters that the law is clear, stating: "We would not be pleased with the transport of any horse part for human consumption anywhere." An opinion for the attorney general could take months. Video of horse transport and slaughter is on-line at: http://tinyurl.com/2ovopn LAW BANNING HORSE SLAUGHTER UPHELD Associated Press, Tara Burghart, Sept. 21, 2007 http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5irKCD4wPC-ev1_YmY6p_WuwRpscw U.S. COURT BACKS STATE BAN ON HORSE-SLAUGHTERING FOR HUMAN FOOD The Chicago Tribune, Joseph Sjostrom, September 23, 2007 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-horseslaughter_22_bothsep23,1,5671020.story LAWMAKER TO AG: IS IT LEGAL TO TRANSPORT HORSE MEAT? The Dallas Morning News, September 27, 2007 http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/092707dntexhorsemeat.3383cf5.html 2. HARDEE'S, CARL'S JR. AGREE TO WELFARE MEASURES CKE Restaurants, owner of the Hardee's and Carl's Jr. fast-food restaurant chains, has announced it will institute a number of animal-welfare practices. The company has agreed to immediately: Obtain 15% of the pig meat it buys from suppliers that don’t use gestation crates, increasing the amount to 25% by 2009; have 2% of the eggs it uses be from hens that are not housed in battery cages, by July 1, 2008; and inform poultry suppliers that it will give consideration to those who actively explore and test controlled-animal stunning systems. CKE will also use a 3rd party auditor to ensure the changes have occurred. "We take the animal welfare concerns very seriously," a Hardee’s spokesperson said, "When you meet with PETA they make a pretty good case. We want to stay consistent with where the industry is at now and where it's heading." People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) initially approached CKE in 2004 and renewed discussions last year. Burger King agreed to similar policies last March after negotiations with PETA (see: http://tinyurl.com/yto9j4 ). There is increasing pressure on Wendy’s to do the same. Hardee’s has 1,905 restaurants and Carl’s Jr. has 1,101. HARDEE'S, CARL'S JR. AND PETA REACH DEAL Associated Press, Jim Salter, Sept. 26, 2007 http://news./s/ap/20070926/ap_on_bi_ge/hardee_s_no_cages CKE TO ADOPT ANIMAL FRIENDLY POLICIES Meat & Poultry,

September 26, 2007 http://www.meatpoultry.com/news/daily_enews.asp?ArticleID=88379 3. DEFINING TERMS, CONTROLLING THE DEBATE Instead of “debeaking” call it “beak conditioning,” rather than “backup killer” say “knife operator,” and rather than being “bled” to death say a bird has been “exsanguinated.” This is the advice given by Timothy Cummings to attendees of a turkey industry meeting sponsored by the Arkansas Poultry Federation. “Whoever defines the issue controls the debate,” contends Cummings, a clinical professor and poultry veterinarian at Mississippi State University. He warned that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and other powerful animal-welfare organizations seek the elimination of the poultry industry. Cummings also addressed the concept of sentience, concluding: “The bottom line is that legal rights should only be afforded to

species that can comprehend that concept.” Bruce Friedrich of PETA cautions that such logic is dangerous: “If you extend that a little farther, it is acceptable to do whatever we want to infants and people below a certain IQ level.” Friedrich acknowledges that PETA is an abolitionist organization in favor of an end to an industry that employs millions to raise and slaughter some 9 billion birds annually. The potential benefits to industry of social pressure on it is discussed in an article in the September 24th issue of Feedstuffs, a trade newspaper for the animal agricultural industries: http://tinyurl.com/387do7. CONTROL DEBATE, GROWERS ADVISED NWA News, David Irvin, Sept. 22, 2007 http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Business/202171/ 4. NEW ZEALAND'S 1ST HEN FACILITY PROSECUTION "I just cannot understand how you or your staff could have passed by these birds with their heads stuck in the cage unable to feed or to drink, and done this on a day after day basis" said Judge Gregory Ross, on September 26th. He was sentencing Trevor Chin, owner and manager of the Wellington Egg Company, who pled guilty to ten counts of violating the minimum code of standards under New Zealand’s Animal Welfare Act, in the nation’s first

prosecution of a battery egg facility. The standards allow for chickens to be raised in cages with almost no room to move, according to an SPCA senior animal welfare inspector who described the Wellington conditions as “hellish” (video at: http://tinyurl.com/29ks7v and: http://tinyurl.com/2z8bag ). He testified that Chin had been given three warnings to remove rotting birds from cages, remove manure piled so high the birds were standing in it, and

supply adequate water. Ross said he was close to imposing a prison sentence but instead ordered Chin to pay the SPCA $23,000 (U.S.), sentenced him to 400 hours of community service, and prohibited him from keeping any birds for a decade. He has been given two months to “humanely dispose” of the surviving 28,000 birds. Ross said the sentence was intended to send a warning to companies that treat chickens like machines. BATTERY FARM OWNER PROSECUTED TV3, September 26, 2007 http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/Batteryfarmownerprosecuted/tabid/209/articleID/35599/Default.aspx EGG FARM LET HENS FEED ON CARCASSES Stuff, September 27, 2007 http://www.stuff.co.nz/4215975a11.html 'HOPELESS' CHICKEN FARM OWNER'S FIRM FINED $20,000 New Zealand Herald, September 27, 2007 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1 & objectid=10466131 5. AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT OFFERS $1M TO CONVERT EGG FARM The Australian Capital Territory (see: http://tinyurl.com/35urma ) has offered the owners of a battery-cage egg farm $1 million (Australian) to convert the facility to a “barn-laid” (i.e., cageless) one. The managing director of Parkwood Eggs called the offer inadequate, noting that last year 73% of the eggs sold were from caged hens, 22% were free range, and only 5% barn laid. He asked: "So why should any person, any government any entity try and persuade businesses to go into a production system where there is reducing demand?" ACT GOVT OFFERS $1M TO CONVERT EGG FARM ABC Rural, Sept. 27, 2007 http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/2007/s2045321.htm 6. BATTERY SHEEP "It is a barren existence without proper social or physical environment, with no behavioural freedoms at all. All those things are the same as what we would say about

[chickens] that are crammed into cages," said Glenys Oogjes of Animals Australia (A.A.). She was referring to the “battery sheep” who are kept individually confined (photo at source below) for up to five years to produce micron wool. The premium wool can sell for 100 times the price of regular wool. A.A. and the Royal Society for the Protection of Animals (RSPCA) are calling for the practice to be banned. A.A. has filmed sheep at one such facility who were swaying and chewing on their wood and wire enclosures, purportedly out of stress and boredom. The RSPCA charges that the industry has refused to co-operate with the government’s Animal Welfare Advisory Committee for over a year and has blocked attempts by independent scientists to study the matter. The Agriculture Minister and WoolProducers Australia say a new code of practice applicable to the ultra-fine wool industry is being developed. The latter disputes the RSPCA’s estimate that 260,000 sheep are involved. RSPCA FURY AT 'BATTERY SHEEP' FOR FINE WOOL The Age, Lorna Edwards, September 27, 2007 http://tinyurl.com/2d59nd In This Issue ILLINOIS UPHOLDS LAW AGAINST HORSE SLAUGHTER HARDEE'S, CARL'S JR. AGREE TO WELFARE MEASURES DEFINING TERMS, CONTROLLING THE DEBATE NEW ZEALAND'S 1ST HEN FACILITY PROSECUTION AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT OFFERS $1M TO CONVERT EGG

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for the Ethical Treatment of Animals The information in this news digest does not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors nor is anything in it meant as an endorsement by them. Masthead Compiled and edited by Mary Finelli, Farmed Animal Watch is a free weekly electronic news digest of information concerning farmed animal issues gleaned from an array of academic, industry, advocacy and mainstream media sources. You are d to this list as dogs_good. Click here to , or send email to .200979.165524160.425506265963962275-dogs+5Fgood_. To contact us via post, please send mail to P.O. Box 6476Olympia, Washington 98507United States.

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