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The Animal Welfare Cause
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Loading...Shocking Cruel Treatment of Calves Closes Vermont Slaughterhouse
Shocking video was released last week about the cruel treatment of newborn calves, at Bushway Packing, Inc. – a slaughterhouse in Vermont.
It’s hard to say which part of this story is more intolerable. The fact that these calves, who were only days old and still had their umbilical cords attached, were kicked, stunned with electrical prods and cut open while they were conscious or the fact that this slaughterhouse already had its license suspended three times earlier this year for animal abuse.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture closed down Bushway Packing for a day in May, June and again in July after an inspector cited the company for inhumane treatment of animals.
However, it wasn’t until the HSUS (Humane Society of the United States) released an undercover video on Friday, that the government finally decided to react by shutting down the company.
THE VIDEO FOOTAGE
According to a release from HSUS the video shows how the calves weren’t “rendered insensible to pain” as required by law. One awful scene shows an infant making noises as his head was being severed.
Another scene has one of the co-owners of Bushway Packing, Inc. repeatedly shocking a calf who could not stand up. On the tape he says, “There’s nothing wrong with you, Shitbox.”
In yet another scene, workers are taped while throwing water on a calf in order to intensify the electrical current of the prods.
CHARGES
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack had a very strong reaction to the abuse at Bushway Packing and immediately issued an investigation. He also assured the public that he would press for criminal charges against the owners of the company.
The Department of Agriculture also issued an investigation into conduct of the USDA Inspector who is stationed at the slaughterhouse. Inspectors are “obligated to take immediate action” when they see behaviors that are not in compliance with federal laws.
FACTS
Male calves wind up at the slaughterhouse via two different routes. Some are sold to veal factory farms where they are kept until they are 4 months old. Then they are shipped to a slaughter plant.
Other calves are slaughtered for “bob veal” which is the meat that ends up in hot dogs and lunch meats. These calves are sent to the slaughterhouse within a week of being born.
Bushway Packing, Inc. specialized in calves used for “bob veal.”
The other greatly disturbing fact in this case is that Bushway Packing was “certified as an organic processor.” This brought a strong reaction from organic dairy farmers who supplied the slaughterhouse with their calves.
Paul Stecker, an organic dairy farmer who watched the video told HSUS, “That’s not right, that’s really nasty. I wouldn’t be in this business if that’s the way it was. That’s not the norm. I can tell you that.”
The whole ordeal is making dairy farmers look at an area of their industry they usually do not want to address.
As an animal advocate, I sincerely hope this horrific story won’t just become “the story of the week” and slowly leave our minds as the days pass. Care2 blogger Angel F. has been writing a series of stories about the Vegan lifestyle. Maybe now is the time to reconsider this option.
Read more: animal welfare, bushway packing, hsus investigation calves, vermont slaughterhouse
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When taking videos of these kinds of things, I wish they would also video the faces of these so called men doing this. Then everyone in their town will know what low life, sick, sadistic sob's they are and treat them as such!
Oh yes there is a place in Hell for theses Jerks
It is so sad, that a company could do these INHUMANE things to babies. Makes me wonder, what harm do they do to other animals.
Sorry Sharon! I had the wrong author. Great article.
I'm so happy to see that so many people seem to be acting towards humanity after seeing the tragedy known as eating animals. Hopefully we can continue to spread the word! Thanks Angel - another great article.
i've been a vegan for 5 years, not a drop of milk either, my blood-work is perfect and i feel excellent. my calcium was low before veg, but eversince i eat a lot of fruit and raw sesame, the calcium is at normal level too. milk and calcium- such a myth of the dairy industry and their buffoon scientists!
Donna Family update on their recent beef boycott. We are new to not eating beef. I just wanted you all to know we are still strong in our convictions and even ordered all vegie the other morning when we went out to breakfast.... a miracle in itself. We have had no cravings for anything beef and will NEVER forget what we witnessed via video last week.
I'm sorrowful that the news media glossed over this story and even more sorrowful it took us 40 some years to finally stop eating beef products and milk. Ty for your support and best wishes, Donna and Family.
PS: I never got 1 email back from anyone in Vermont or Texas beef producer's association, not one... out of the 34 sent.
Hang in there all.
Donna
There is no such thing as 'humane meat' either:
www.humanemyth.org
And also, if you are going to be in Vermont,please attend our Justice for the Calves rally at the Montpelier, VT Statehouse 11 AM - 1 PM. This is the first of many actions we plan to take in Vermont to ensure that this kind of abuse is not allowed to continue in our state! More information at: www.gmad.info
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