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A December 2011 undercover investigation by activist group Compassion Over Killing exposed gross animal rights abuses at Hawkeye Sow Centers, an Iowa pig breeding factory farm. These abuses included immobilizing sows in gestation crates, cutting off piglet tails and testicles with no pain killers, and pushing herniated intestines back inside piglets and securing the wounded area with tape. Thanks to undercover investigation, these abuses are caught on camera to inform customers of pork industry practices and catalyze action to end these abuses.

Iowa agribusiness groups have renewed their efforts to pass "ag-gag" legislation which would make it illegal to make undercover exposes of factory farms like Compassion Over Killing's investigation. This would allow unethical practices to continue and prevent consumers from learning about animal abuses. Iowa is currently the largest pork-producing state in the country. Please sign the petition to convince Iowa legislators to oppose ag-gag legislation.

A recent undercover investigation by Mercy for Animals captured footage of sadistic abuse and neglect toward turkeys raised for food in a N.C. Butterball slaughterhouse. Workers were caught on video kicking and dragging turkeys, bashing their heads with metal rods and neglecting birds with large wounds. Thanks to their report, Butterball promised to investigate the plant.

Mercy for Animal's victory is bittersweet, however; activists fear that the FBI may charge the group under the 2006 Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, which prohibits conduct "for the purpose of damaging or interfering with the operations of an animal enterprise." Additionally, five states are considering an "ag-gag" bill that would criminalize undercover photographs and videos at food production plants.

People have the right to know where their food comes from and how animals are treated during production. Investigative reporters are not "terrorists" as indicated by the 2006 act, and their services educate people on the cruelty and sadism present in food production plants. Past exposes and resulting protests and boycotts have convinced companies to discontinue unethical practices that harm animals and compromise human health. Criminalizing undercover photos and videos gives sadistic slaughterhouse workers the freedom to treat animals however they wish while keeping consumers completely in the dark. Please sign the petition to protect investigators' rights to take photos and videos at food production plants.