Enquête sur des sévices infligés à des cochons

[hop 0]

Un shérif de l’Iowa enquête sur des sévices infligés à des cochons dans un élevage fournisseurs de la Ste Hormel Foods, après visionnage d’une video réalisée par PETA

An Iowa sheriff said Wednesday that he has launched an investigation into a videotape showing abuse of pigs at a farm. The video, shot by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, shows farmworkers hitting sows with metal rods, slamming piglets on a concrete floor and bragging about jamming rods into sows' hindquarters. Greene County Sheriff Tom Heater said he had met with PETA representatives Tuesday. "They provided us with what appears to be some really good information," he said. "Our next step is to secure interviews with potential suspects, and definitely make sure that there's no further abuse occurring down there; that's our main concern at this point."

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Sheriff To Look Into Pig Abuse On Iowa Farms - 18/09/08
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/sep/18/na-sheriff-to-look-into-pig-abuse-on-iowa-farms/

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Sur le site de PETA :

Undercover Investigation Reveals Hormel Supplier's Abuse of Mother Pigs and Piglets For more than three months, PETA went undercover at an Iowa pig factory farm, which supplies piglets who are raised and killed for Hormel products. PETA found rampant cruelty to animals - committed by workers and supervisors. The farm changed ownership and management during PETA's investigation, but that made no difference to the animals who were born and confined there: Abuse and neglect were widespread during PETA's entire investigation. The following are just some of the abuses that were documented:

- A supervisor shoved a cane into a sow's vagina, struck her on the back about 17 times, and then struck another sow.

- Multiple pigs were beaten with metal gate rods, and lacerations were found on more than 30 sows - which is probably evidence of more abuse.

- A worker hit a young pig in the face four times with the edge of a herding board, and investigators witnessed dozens of similar incidents involving this worker and 11 other workers.

- Two men - including a supervisor - were witnessed jabbing clothespins into pigs' eyes and faces. A supervisor also poked two animals in the eyes with his fingers.

- A supervisor kicked a young pig in the face, abdomen, and genitals to make her move and told PETA's investigator, "You gotta beat on the bitch. Make her cry."

- A worker who weighed an estimated 315 lbs. punched a sow on the back three times and said that he sat on a sow's head.


To learn more about the investigation, please watch the video
http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/iowa_pigfarm_abuse2

view our photo gallery, http://www.peta.org/actioncenter/iowa_pigfarm_gallery.asp

read the investigators' log notes,
http://tinyurl.com/4zeml2

and visit our blog.
http://blog.peta.org/archives/2008/09/tails_testicles.php


The findings on this Iowa pig farm, however, were not limited to cruelty to animals. PETA also documented an apparent violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and PETA has filed a complaint with the Food and Drug Administration. Animals who were to be killed for human consumption were sprayed with a substance that contains gentian violet - a chemical that is linked to certain cancers - thereby making their flesh "adulterated" under federal law.

By purchasing pigs born on this farm, Hormel is financially supporting an operation whose employees abuse animals. And if you eat these products or hot dogs, ham, sausage, or bacon, then you, too, are supporting this suffering. Please stop eating pigs.

Then take action against Hormel : http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/iowa_pigfarm_abuse2

[Animal 0]

Quelle horreur !!!!!!!!!!!!

[Caro18 0]

Images choquantes
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S.V.P envoyez cette LETTRE-PÉTITION !
http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/iowa_pigfarm_abuse2


Vidéo: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1630487466/bctid1799063907

Des porcelets jugés trop petits pour être rentables ont été lancés sur le sol de béton, quelques porcelets étaient encore en vie après une agonie de plus de 12 minutes après l'impact




Plus de 100 truies gestantes se sont vu refuser l'eau pendant 5 jours et plusieurs truies blessées ont été laissées sans soins vétérinaires pendant des jours et même des semaines.



Testicules et queues coupés à froid sur les porcelets

[Animal 0]

La publicité trompeuse de Hormel Foods !

“Pork producers are the best ambassadors for animal welfare in the United States,” Olsen said. “They set the standard and do everything they can to make sure their animals have the best animal welfare.”
http://www.hormelfoods.com/responsibility/process/livingoutourPrinciples.aspx#darylOlsen


State-of-the-Art

It is important our hogs be as comfortable as possible when they arrive at our plants. And we aren’t just saying that. In the first part of 2008, we will proudly finish our $6.2 million state-of-the-art livestock holding facility in our Austin, MN, plant. The new addition and renovation of the existing structure has taken about a year and a half to construct. The new features improve hog mobility and comfort, providing hogs important rest and recovery time and climate-controlled conditions.

Features include a level walking area so the animals do not have to navigate steep inclines or declines, controlled heating in the floors, a sprinkler system for cooling, an employee walkway between pens to promote better hog movement and reduce the chance of employee injury, and optimum overhead lighting.

“Hormel Foods has been a leader and one of the most supportive companies on providing access to their plants for animal welfare auditor training. They have opened up their doors for Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization (PAACO) auditor training, which will help improve animal welfare throughout the entire meat industry. They have also been a leader in working with university researchers on studies that will improve animal welfare during transport and handling at the plant.”

http://www.hormelfoods.com/responsibility/process/livingoutourPrinciples.aspx#darylOlsen


http://www.hormelfoods.com/

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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Six farm employees were charged with animal abuse and neglect Wednesday in connection with a video obtained by an animal-rights group that showed workers abusing pigs.

Authorities in rural Greene County northwest of Des Moines began investigating about a month ago after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released a video of workers at a farm in Bayard hitting sows with metal rods, slamming piglets on a concrete floor and bragging about jamming rods into the anuses of sows. The farm is owned by MowMar Farms LLP of Fairmont, Minn., and supplies Hormel Foods Corp. of Austin, Minn.

Sheriff Tom Heater said warrants have been issued for the workers, who are facing misdemeanor charges that include livestock abuse, aiding and abetting livestock abuse and livestock neglect. The most serious counts carry a maximum two-year sentence.

According to a news release from Heater's office, four of the workers no longer work at the plant, while two others are still employed there. Once they are arrested, they will have hearings before a Greene County magistrate.

PETA had sought the prosecution of 18 people on animal cruelty violations.

Heater said some workers shown in the video using electric prods won't be charged because there is debate on whether the devices are reasonable for use in livestock farming.

Daphna Nachminovitch, vice president of PETA's Cruelty Investigations Department, said the group respects the sheriff's judgment and trusts that a solid case has been built based on its undercover video.

"Charges against any number of pig factory farmers in the nation's top pork producing state should deter the industry's workers from continuing to abuse and neglect these intelligent, playful and sensitive animals," she said in a statement.

The sheriff said MowMar Farms has been cooperative in the investigation. The company has said it had owned the farm for less than a month before the video came out.

"I think once the charges are out they will proceed with anything they need to do — firings, restructuring, training," Heater said.

Earlier this week, PETA released additional video allegedly showing the manager of the farm kicking and shocking an injured sow. PETA said it confirmed that the manager still works at the farm through a telephone call to the facility.

MowMar didn't indicate what might happen to the manager, but has said it has fired other workers that have been documented abusing pigs. It said its investigation is continuing.

"It is important that the investigation is allowed to complete its work to ensure that any termination and/or discipline is justified and the rights of employees are respected," the company said in a statement this week.

Heater said his department knew nothing about the abuse at the farm until the PETA footage was released last month. Asked what he thought of the video images, Heater said some of the workers' actions were "uncalled for."

"I was a farm boy. The deputy investigating is a farm boy. You don't have to beat animals ... you just have to deal with them and wait," he said.

On the Net:
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals: http://www.peta.org



Charges filed against 6 in Iowa pig abuse case - 23/10/08
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jYCps4elThCbt4fcA1bKFoxNscmwD93VQMT80

[Animal 0]

Citation :

Heater said some workers shown in the video using electric prods won't be charged because there is debate on whether the devices are reasonable for use in livestock farming.

[Caro18 0]

22 Charges Filed Based on PETA Investigation at Hormel Supplier

It's with a proud and ecstatic heart that I report this news today! Our investigation into an Iowa pig farm that breeds piglets destined for Hormel has resulted in 22—that's right, count them—22 criminal charges.

The Greene County Sherriff just announced in a news release that six individuals employed by the farm at the time of PETA's investigation now face a total of 22 counts of livestock neglect and abuse. Those charged include a former farm manager—who we understand still works on another pig factory farm—and a supervisor, as well as two individuals who still punch the clock at the Iowa factory farm as we speak.

A whopping 14 of the counts are aggravated misdemeanors—the stiffest possible charges under Iowa state law for crimes committed against farmed animals—carrying up to two years behind bars. To PETA's knowledge, this is unprecedented.

Charges based on PETA's undercover investigations are now pending against pig factory farmers in both Iowa—the nation's top pig-raising state—and North Carolina, which occupies the second rung on that dubious list!

This is a small victory for farmed animals, but we mustn't forget that Hormel, which financially supports this farm, has by all appearances yet to make any changes as a result of this investigation. It has refused to meet with us or even watch all of the footage, which we have repeatedly offered to show the company. Maybe now that the law has spoken up, Hormel will finally listen.

Please, urge Hormel to take action now.
http://getactive.peta.org/campaign/iowa_pigfarm_abuse2