Posted in Animal Advocacy

Butterball’s poor training and pay for turkey farm workers is a ‘recipe for disaster,’ says Mercy for Animals

Butterball is “incapable of preventing egregious animal abuse at its factory farm facilities,” says animal protection group. / Photo: Mercy for Animals

By Katerina Lorenzatos Makris

“Butterball expects a few untrained workers to move thousands of crippled turkeys into transport trucks, and pays workers by the load, not the hour,” Mercy for Animals (MFA) Director of Investigations Matt Rice told Animal Policy Examiner in an email interview this week. [Please see full interview below.] “It is a recipe for disaster, and as our investigation proves, it results in horrific suffering for thousands of animals at the hands of Butterball workers.” Continue reading →

Butterball workers suspended for allegedly abusing turkeys

Injured Butterball turkey allegedly enduring neglect. / Photo: Mercy for Animals

By Katerina Lorenzatos Makris

After an undercover video filmed by an animal protection group last month allegedly showed workers kicking, dragging, stomping on, and violently throwing turkeys at several North Carolina large-scale farms operated by Butterball, the company said it has “suspended the associates in question” and “initiated an internal investigation.” Continue reading →

Undercover video again catches Butterball workers severely abusing turkeys, says Mercy for Animals

Butterball turkey, one of many allegedly abused by the company’s workers / Photo: Mercy for Animals

By Katerina Lorenzatos Makris

With Thanksgiving coming up next week, animal protection group Mercy for Animals said it conducted its second undercover video investigation of Butterball and found much the same that it did earlier this year—severe and extremely unappetizing abuse and neglect of the birds.

Scene after scene of the secretly-taped and disturbing video shot in October shows workers at various North Carolina farms operated by the world’s largest producer of turkey meat kicking, stomping on, and violently throwing the animals whose meat will soon sit on millions of Americans’ plates.

Many turkeys are filmed as they bleed and suffer from various injuries and wounds including broken bones and punctured eyes, with no veterinary attention, simply “left to die,” according to the narration. Continue reading →

The yoke’s on you, Bill and Lou – or is it? A letter to two oxen slated for slaughter (Opinion)

Lou (left) and Bill (right) quietly consuming resources at home, Green Mountain College / Photo: Christine Celella

By Kalypso Arhilohou

You weigh a ton, wield horns as hard as hammers and as sharp as spears, and you could puree a man’s foot with one slightly misplaced step of your mighty hoof. But it’s perfectly safe to kiss you, hug you, and parade you through crowds at college commencements.

This good humor of yours, Bill and Lou, comes about partly because your kind have been bred that way for millennia, and partly because you’re just nice guys.

Apparently you like people. At least you don’t seem to mind hanging out with us, following our lead, and doing our bidding. Maybe you feel that in return we like you too.

The fact is that lots of people like you, and many say they love you.  The curious thing, though, is that some of the people who say they love you also say they want to eat you. Continue reading →

On election day remember the rescuers: Animal advocacy in the voting booth (Opinion)

Rescuers need laws, policies, and government leaders to help us help animals. Photo: Yvette Holzbach and Sheri Burtch, Forgotten Dogs of the Fifth Ward Project

In the United States, this is perhaps the most important day we’ll have for another four years— election day.  The outcomes of thousands of local and national races will determine a great deal about our future for decades or even centuries to come.

Most years in the past I’ve volunteered heavily for various campaigns. This year I voted, but as far as political volunteering goes, I’m sitting it out. Well not sitting exactly. You can’t sit for very long when you’re caring for a sick dog who was recently a parasite-infested bag of bones roaming the streets. I’m running myself ragged, actually.

Which is one reason why election day is important. We animal rescuers have it rough. We all run ourselves ragged.  We need people in government who get that.  Who understand that it’s not just about the animals. It’s about us too—all of us who care about animals. Continue reading →