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Animal Cruelty at Farms and Slaughterhouses

Frida A. De la torre Hernandez

Undergraduate student
at the
University of Texas at El Paso

Table of Contents
Animal Cruelty at Farms and Slaughterhouses..............................................................4
What is animal Cruelty?......................................................................................................4
What they are doing.............................................................................................................5
Their response......................................................................................................................6
Governments response........................................................................................................6
What can we do?..................................................................................................................7
References...........................................................................................................................8

Figure 1.. 4

Animal Cruelty at Farms and Slaughterhouses

Even though now in days meeting the high demands for meat and dairy products is a
priority for the big industries, it does not serve as an excuse for animal cruelty within their
facilities. The public has the right to know of what is going on inside both farms and
slaughterhouses, however, they should also first be educated into what animal cruelty is and what
it does to the animals, in order for it to be abolished. Animal cruelty should be an issue in which
all the population has at least general knowledge of what it is and how they can prevent it, this
way society will start to form values towards the welfare of animals and others in the long run.

What is animal Cruelty?

The meat industry keeps growing and as shown in Figure 1 there has been an average of
9.1 billion slaughters per year in the United States, mostly chicken. Animal Cruelty as defined by
the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) is Acts of violence or
neglect perpetrated against animals are considered animal cruelty. Although this statement does
not specify on what actions are considered animal cruelty I will provide with some examples that
are found in the slaughterhouse and factory farms environment. This include overcrowding the
animals in wire cages and metal crates; keeping the animals in unsanitary living conditions;
physical abuse such as hitting them and/or cutting them; and of course getting genetically
manipulated to increase the production of milk and eggs, as well as to make them grow faster
and get fatter; mutilating the animals tails, beaks, testicles, horns and more, without painkillers.

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Also, it is illegal in some states such as California to slaughter animals while they are still
conscious, which happens more often than what it should.

What they are doing

The animals in factory farms and
slaughterhouses live and die in an
inhumane way, and what is happening at
places like Agri-Mark, Inc. located in
Massachusetts is proof of it. PETA found
through an investigation that workers of
Agri-Mark routinely jabbed and struck
Figure 1

cows with a pole and cane- on the face,

udder, and hindquarters. The manager in charge admitted that his workers committed such
actions against the animals. He did not do anything about it, for later on PETA released a footage
this same manager jabbing down a fully conscious cow in the ribs with a screwdriver. This just
comes to show how low in values and respect this places have for the animals.
There is another article that talks of an undercover investigation done within the meat
industries, however, this time it reveals animal abuse at the kosher slaughterhouse
AgriProducers, Inc. The animals at AgriProducers get their throats cut open, and have their
trachea and esophagus removed while still conscious. This not only unveil the uncompassionate
ways of the meat industries, but since the meat is supposed to be kosher meat then it violates the
tzarar baalei hayyin, a Jewish religious mandate that proclaims that no human shall cause pain
to animals.

Their response
What are the meat and dairy industries doing? While a few have changed their ways,
many still remain with their dark methods of handling the animals and what is worse they intend
to deprive the public from information that may ruin the reputation of the industry. For example,
the state of Idaho had a law called the ag-gag law, which makes it a crime to secretly videotape
activities on farms and slaughterhouses that expose animal mistreatment and cruelty. However,
on August 3, a federal judge declared that Idaho's ag-gag law violated the First Amendment.
Food production should is not a private matter." Wrote Judge B. Lynn Winmill. This big
agricultural industries should not hide their corrupt acts behind these laws.
It is obvious that for the meat industries comes the money and the high demand for meat
comes first, which is very alarming for they need to take care of their most valuable resources
which are the animals. Not taking care of the animals can only be marked down as inhumane acts
that should be punished by the law. The meat industries are aware that ruining their reputations
can mean the loss of customers and demands, but instead of setting regulations they try to hide it,
and as Judge B. Lynn Winmill said it is not a private matter. Whatever happens to the animals is
what we pay for and consume later on.

Governments response
Since the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) was signed in 1966 as the first federal law in the
U.S. regulating animals in research there has been some advancement in the political aspect of
the issue in animal cruelty. Many other laws were passed such as the Californias Poultry
Slaughter Laws of 1967. However, even though all states in the U.S. have laws that prohibit

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animal cruelty, most do not cover all the details and definitions as to what is illegal.
Investigations revealed that states with a more agricultural based economy are less likely to
provide protection for the animals. There are several organizations that fight to provide animals
with rights and protection from abuse and neglect. These interest groups have shown a strong
influence amongst state level laws and regulations. Which means we as the people have power
over the political view of this problem, we can give the animal the voice they do not have and
together give them the rights they deserve.

What can we do?

There are many ways we can help fight back against animal cruelty at farms,
slaughterhouses, or even in domestic situations. A great way to start is to learn about the issue,
get involved and stay in tune with news and organizations that are also pro animal rights, be
aware. You can spread the word, let others know what is going on in a polite, peaceful manner.
Take action, go protest, make a change in your community it is all for the welfare of those poor
animals who have no voice to defend themselves. And of course if you see something report it to
the authorities and/or share it to the media so we can all unite against the facilities make a real
change for the good of the animals. Therefore, we as humans and as living creatures should
sympathize with animals and help them achieve a way of living that will grant the dignity and
wellness.

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References
1. Animal Welfare Institute, Animal Welfare Act, https://awionline.org/content/animalwelfare-act
2. ASPCA (2015) Report Animal Cruelty FAQ: Recognizing Animal Cruelty,
https://www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/report-animal-cruelty/report-animal-cruelty-faq
3. ASPCA (2015) What is a Factory Farm? : Standard Factory Farming Practices,
https://www.aspca.org/fight-cruelty/farm-animal-cruelty/what-factory-farm
4. ASPCA (2015) 10 Ways You Can Fight Factory Farms, https://www.aspca.org/fightcruelty/farm-animal-cruelty/10-ways-you-can-fight-factory-farms
5. Cruelty Behind Cheese: Cattle Burned for Maker of Cabot,
https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=4051
6. Gross, Aaron (2005) When Kosher Isn't Kosher (Vol. 20 Issue 2), p52-55.
7. Rebecca F. Wisch (2006) Table of State Humane Slaughter Laws,
https://www.animallaw.info/article/table-state-humane-slaughter-laws
8. The Editorial Board (2015, August) Exposing Abuse on the Factory Farm. New York:
The New York Times.
9. The Humane Society (2015) Farm Animal Statistics: Slaughter Totals,
http://www.humanesociety.org/news/resources/research/stats_slaughter_totals.html?
referrer=https://www.google.com.mx/

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