Once again, the Trump administration in the United States is working against what's best for animals in reauthorizing wildlife killing cyanide bombs. In an effort to curb coyote numbers in particular, the government has allowed sodium cyanide bombs to once again be used despite extremely strong opposition from animal welfare groups and the general public. In fact, almost 99% of responses during an open question period were in favour of retaining the ban but obviously their intention was to lift the ban anyways.
For example, in 2017, cyanide bombs killed three family dogs and temporarily blinded a child in separate incidents in Wyoming and Idaho. A protected wold was also killed by the M-44 (cyanide bomb) that same year in Oregon prompting the state to ban them. In 2018, over 6,000 animals were killed by these poisonous bombs; most of which were foxes and coyotes, significantly down from over 13, 000 the previous year. Over 200 animals indicated as non-target animals were also killed including raccoons, opossums, foxes, and even a bear.
Cyanide bombs are non-discriminatory and therefore cannot be used with accuracy. They put the local ecosystems at risk leaving non-target animals and people at risk of cyanide poisoning. The United States Environmental Protection Agency who reinstated the cyanide bombs, has at the very least taken additional measures to protect humans from accidental interaction with the bombs but warning signs do absolutely nothing to prevent family pets and other non-target animals from accidentally activating the poisons. This administration continues to work against what's best for animals by repeatedly allowing cruelty to animals despite overwhelming support for the opposite. His administration has attempted to remove protections for wolves and bears, taken a lackluster approach to protecting giraffes, allowed lion and elephant trophies into the country despite both animal facing uncertainty in the wild, and now these bombs. He is a disgrace to human rights and an even bigger disgrace when it comes to animal rights HAPPY VEG
0 Comments
SHOCKER ALERT! The largest producer of pork in the United States was exposed for having some of the most abhorrent conditions for pigs / piglets ever documented. Smithfield Foods, the largest pork producer in the US was exposed for having conditions that were unethical, cruel, and completely opposite what their message of animal welfare standards claimed to be which should come as no surprise to us by now. Factory farms simply don't care about animals and even when they come out and claim to have exemplary animal standards, they are often lying and hiding behind laws that prevent activists from exposing the truth. North Carolina's ag-gag law prevents activists from videotaping and exposing atrocities that happen in these establishments and those who do, find themselves with criminal charges. In fact, a 2018 undercover expose of the Smithfield farm has seen several activists currently facing felony charges for their participation. With that being said, what was exposed was absolutely horrific. Direct Action Everywhere (DXE) published those results of the investigation and not surprisingly, there were some horrific things documented behind those walls.
Piglets were found to be suffering from a variety of antibiotic resistant infections and sores. In fact, there were instances of open wounds left untreated that were undoubtedly infected and extremely painful for the piglets. Mass pharmaceutical usage was also a documented issue which implies that the "pork" people were receiving from this company was tainted with antibiotics and other medicines and hormones. Several piglets were rescued with serious staph infections along with a piglet that died along the way to the vet that suffered evident blunt force trauma to the head. Nearly everything that was documented was disturbing and against the general populations desires for animal welfare standards. The problem with these industries is that the government is a strong lobbyist for factory farms and go to great lengths to protect them. In fact, the ag-gag law is only one of the measures taken to prevent exposure of abuse and other wrong doings.
The fact is, factory farming is cruel down to the core. If it's not the largest pork facility, it's the chicken and cow industry being exposed. There is nothing ethical about breeding millions of animals in tiny, cramped spaces, abusing and slaughtering babies, and leaving animals sick and full of infections without vet care. Factory farms are responsible for some of the highest levels of carbon input and pollution on our environment without even factoring in the cruelty involved.
The only way to stop them is to go vegetarian / vegan and put them out of business. They will never get better regardless of the exposes so long as the government continues to protect them. There is no winning here aside from abandoning meat entirely. We are already seeing an incredible rise in the production and sale of vegan meats so if these shithole industries intend to compete, they need to do a lot of work on their welfare and ethics before more and more people turn to vegan meats and abandon meat entirely. It's already happening and that's the best thing for the animals and the environment. HAPPY VEG The very last Foie Gras processing and production plant in the Ukraine will shut down permanently in September 2019 after its parent company, MHP decided that foie gras no longer fit in with their current animal welfare standards and expectations. Making this decision came about after undercover footage exposed the atrocities that were happening on the only foie gras production plant in the Ukraine sparking international outrage and disgust.
The problem with foie gras is how it is obtained. These geese / ducks are left in filthy cages with barely enough room to move and repeatedly have tubes shoved down their throats, pumping them full of unnedded food. All of this allows their livers to bloat as they cannot proces the amount of food they are being given. Once the liver is perceived to be fatty and rich enough, the geese are then slaughtered and their livers are ripped out and sold. It has long been the argument of foie gras producers that geese have no gag reflexes and therefore the force feeding does them no harm. While this may be true, it's everything else surrounding the production of foie gras that makes it such a cruel product. Undercover videos of foie gras have always painted a very grim picture for geese despite those who produce it doing their best to state otherwise. There is nothing humane about having your face yanked all over the place and mouth forced open to allow force feeding; there is nothing humane about being unable to move properly; there is nothing humane about foie gras, period! Ukraine wil now cease foie gras production entirely joining the United States who also decided this past January to ban the sale foie gras. Along with the U.S and Ukraine, Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, and the U.K. have all banned the sale of foie gras. Congratualtions to those who went undercover to expose the awful conditions on this foie gras farm and here's to hoping the continued exposure will force other countries to take action until the production of foie gras is banned across the globe.
HAPPY VEG |
Stay educated and remain involved in animal welfare. Together, we can all make a difference!
Archives
May 2024
Categories |