Action Alert: Tell Iowa Vet Board: Hanging Pigs Is Not Humane!

[Guest guest]

ACTION ALERT FROM PETA Tell Iowa Vet Board: Hanging Pigs Is Not Humane! Some months ago, PETA and the Humane Farming Association (HFA), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Animal Welfare Institute, the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights, and The Humane Society of the United States joined together to send a letter to the Iowa Veterinary Medical Organization calling for an investigation into the conduct of Paul Armbrecht,

a veterinarian who testified under oath that strangling pigs to death does not constitute cruelty to animals. During an undercover investigation conducted by the HFA at Wiles Hog Farm in Creston, Ohio, employees were documented killing sows by fastening a chain around their necks and then attaching the chain to a front-end loader. The loader was then lifted as the sows struggled and were slowly strangled to death over a period of four to five minutes. As a paid witness for the defense, Dr. Armbrecht's testimony at the trial of the owners and employees of the pig farm appears to have violated the Iowa Veterinary Practice Act, which prohibits "knowingly making misleading, deceptive, untrue, or fraudulent representation in the practice of the profession." Dr. Armbrecht testified to the

following: Hanging is an acceptable method of killing downed and disabled sows, despite the fact that the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, and the National Pork Board don't list hanging as a humane method of "euthanasia" in their guidelines. Wiles Hog Farm's practice of dragging, kicking, and dropping sows off a 4-foot ledge was an acceptable means of transporting sows to their deaths. Killing methods that cause animals to take up to 10 minutes to die are acceptable. Dr. Armbrecht had observed at least one similar strangulation elsewhere in recent months but failed to report it. We have just learned that the Iowa Board of Veterinary Medicine has decided not to take any formal disciplinary action against Armbrecht. This gives the green light to any vet or farmworker to decide this cruelty is legal and acceptable to vets. ________________________________ NOTE FROM POSTER: PETA did not provide addresses for contacting the IBVM, but instead allowed people to submit a letter online, which you can do here: http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/iowa_pig_hangings. You can also view the video at this same link. I went to the IBVM's website and got the contact names and addresses for the board members, which I am including below. However, I want to re-emphasize that this action alert is about Dr. Ambrecht's testimony in court, and not directed at the farm/processing plant itself. Please note that this pig-hanging incident did happen in OH, but Dr. Ambrecht is licensed in IA, that is why you will need to write to the IBVM, and not to the OBVM. Here are the addresses for the Iowa Board of Veterinary Medicine: Sarah Garst, D.V.M., Chair Garst West Veterinary Hospital1215 Prospect AvenueWest Des Moines, IA 50265515-224-9747 (Work) Anne M. DuffyKirkwood

Community College6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SWCedar Rapids, IA 52406319-398-4978 (Work) Tom Colvin5452 N.E. 22nd St.Des Moines, IA 50313515-262-9503 Ext. 103 (Work) Dean B. Upton, D.V.M.Urban Pet Hospital and Resort3601 104th StreetUrbandale, IA 50322515-727-0607 (Work) Leslie C. Hemmingson, D.V.M.Le Mars Veterinary Clinic724 Plymouth Street SWLe Mars, IA 51031712-546-6040 (Work) ------- Cary Birdwell HUMANITY IS THE VIRUS!

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now.