Every year, hundreds of thousands of animals who are in bad health are poked, prodded, and abused, in hopes that they will eventually become healthy enough for us to kill and eat. It’s a practice that Farm Sanctuary, an American animal protection organization founded in 1986, is trying to ban.
“On factory farms, stockyards, and slaughterhouses across the country, hundreds of thousands of “downed” farm animals — those who are unable to stand or walk under their own power — are still exploited for food production each year,” stated Farm Sanctuary about the petition. “These afflicted animals are often beaten, dragged, or shocked on the way to slaughter, or are left to suffer for days before they are killed. Sometimes, these unhealthy individuals end up on kitchen tables and school lunch trays. It’s time to end this abuse!”
Pigs who cannot stand or walk due to broken bones, or severed tendons or ligaments, are hauled off trucks and carried around with construction equipment to get them into slaughterhouses. They’re held for long periods in dirty pens as attempts are made to rehabilitate them to the point that they can’t stand and therefore be killed for consumption.
How many pigs end up like this? The pork industry statistics indicate that over 500,000 pigs arrive at American slaughterhouses each year unable to walk due to injury or sickness.
This is cruel. In order to change this practice and alleviate pigs’ suffering, Farm Sanctuary is suing the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). They have created a petition to extend the rights of downed cows to downed pigs, and protect all those who are afflicted.
To sign this petition, click here to support the rights of animals during slaughter.
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/551/663/769/?TAP=1732
Main image from We Animals Media
