PETA video shows pigs abused tortured at Iowa farm

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/09/16/abused.pigs.ap/index.html

Absolutely horrifying and reprehensible. These people should be slaughtered. After they are tortured just the same way they tortured the animals.

Quote :

"WASHINGTON (AP) -- An undercover video taken at an Iowa pig farm shows workers hitting sows with metal rods, slamming piglets on a concrete floor and bragging about jamming rods up into sows' hindquarters. On the video, obtained by The Associated Press, a supervisor tells an undercover investigator for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals that when he gets angry or a sow won't move, "I grab one of these rods and jam it in her [anus]." . . . At one point on the video, an employee shouts to an investigator, "Hurt 'em! There's nobody works for PETA out here. You know who PETA is?" The undercover PETA investigator replies that he's heard of the group. "I hate them. These [expletives] deserve to be hurt. Hurt, I say!," the employee yells as he hits a sow with a metal rod. "Hurt! Hurt! Hurt! Hurt! ... Take out your frustrations on 'em." He encourages the investigator to pretend that one of the pigs scared off a voluptuous and willing 17- or 18-year-old girl, and then beat the pig for it. . . . At one point in the video, workers are shown slamming piglets on the ground, a practice designed to instantly kill those baby pigs that aren't healthy enough. But on the video, the piglets are not killed instantly, and in a bloodied pile, some piglets can be seen wiggling vainly. The video also shows piglets being castrated, and having their tails cut off, without anesthesia. . . . One of the PETA investigators, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect his ability to do further undercover operations, said there was a culture of violence on the farm, and working there was an emotionally and physically exhausting experience that typically involved working 12-hour shifts and walking 15 miles a day. "So many times, it took all of my willpower not to step up and do something," he said, adding that he also saw the supervisor shove a cane into a sow's vagina. "I was just shocked. What do you say to that?" "

9/17/2008 5:09:09 PM

Quote :

"voluptuous and willing 17- or 18-year-old girl"

9/17/2008 5:17:29 PM

Quote :

"willing"

9/17/2008 5:18:00 PM

the metal rods are pretty fucked up

but i bet the pig (that they show at the beginning and end) who is getting kicked cant feel shit

also the blue pig looks like something out of the NIN Down In It video

9/17/2008 5:29:51 PM

Quote :

"but i bet the pig (that they show at the beginning and end) who is getting kicked cant feel shit"

Oh really?

9/17/2008 5:36:18 PM

maybe he can...i just figured they have some thick hide and the guy almost looks like he's kicking him more out of boredom than anger

i'm not defending anything on that video, i just think big hogs like that have pretty thick hides if you will, and that that particular pig didnt really get it too bad in the clip

please correct me if i'm wrong...but most of the pigs in the video i saw i was like "eeh thats fucked up"...but the one thats getting kicked i was like "meh"

9/17/2008 5:37:37 PM

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm bacon

9/17/2008 6:42:25 PM

lol to that fucking redneck gettin tired at the end. what a loser



[Edited on September 17, 2008 at 6:49 PM. Reason : gif]

9/17/2008 6:43:52 PM

Quote :

"maybe he can...i just figured they have some thick hide and the guy almost looks like he's kicking him more out of boredom than anger i'm not defending anything on that video, i just think big hogs like that have pretty thick hides if you will, and that that particular pig didnt really get it too bad in the clip please correct me if i'm wrong...but most of the pigs in the video i saw i was like "eeh thats fucked up"...but the one thats getting kicked i was like "meh""

The pigs I have worked with both as an Animal Science major and as a Veterinary student would feel something with that magnitude. Even if the pig was less sensitive to being kicked, is that any excuse to kick a living creature out of boredom?

9/17/2008 6:59:15 PM

Didn't see the video, don't want to. The description was nasty enough. I hope someone beats the shit out of those people.
Oh, and that gif file was disgusting. Adblocked as fast as I could -- who the fuck would be that mean?

9/17/2008 7:11:05 PM

worse things happen to pets everyday in this country.

9/17/2008 7:43:41 PM

0EPII1 always does an excellent job at bolding the most relevant parts of long articles. Thanks!

9/17/2008 7:47:15 PM

^^^^^ NICE!

[Edited on September 17, 2008 at 7:48 PM. Reason : ^^^^^]

9/17/2008 7:48:09 PM

Quote :

"Even if the pig was less sensitive to being kicked, is that any excuse to kick a living creature out of boredom?"

like i said im not defending the video, i just figured a big hog like that would have some thick hide...like if dude was punching a cow or something, i doubt the cow would really feel it much

9/17/2008 7:53:46 PM

Absolutely despicable. More people would seriously consider vegetarianism if they realized this kind of treatment is not all that uncommon. I'm glad to see this posted on CNN.

9/17/2008 8:23:33 PM

^ I worked on a poultry farm. I never saw the sort of crap PETA likes to claim all poultry farms do. I believe that the average factory farm is probably doing as good a job as they can in regards to animal welfare.

^^ The real question is, why would you punch a cow

9/17/2008 9:56:11 PM

JC, in that case I guess you believe all cops are brutal racist fucks, all black people are crack smoking junkies looking to steal your shit, and that every American soldier in Iraq is pissing on Iraqi people and degrading them in every way possible.

[Edited on September 17, 2008 at 10:06 PM. Reason : Generalizations FTL]

9/17/2008 10:06:26 PM

Quote :

"0EPII1 always does an excellent job at bolding the most relevant parts of long articles. Thanks!"

Why thank you... I wouldn't be doing it if I didn't have loyal customers, Dr. Joe#s

^ To be fair to JCTarheel, he didn't say that most of the farms do this. He didn't even say that the majority of farms like that. He just said that it is not "uncommon". It is PETA, which says "Abuse on factory farms is the absolute norm, not the exception". Maybe that is true, maybe it isn't. I guess they would have to send undercover workers to several random farms across the country to find out!

9/17/2008 10:22:59 PM

watchin that was probably the worst idea i could have had before taking an ambian

9/18/2008 12:11:03 AM

Why is cruelty so delicious?

9/18/2008 12:22:53 AM

Quote :

"piglets being castrated, and having their tails cut off, without anesthesia."

been there, done that. not the best thing to do, but the time involved is key to getting the work done, so i would see anesthesia not being an option (with regard to the process only)



is anesthesia used during the circumcision of baby boys?

9/18/2008 9:34:15 AM

Castrating day old pigs, clipping needle teeth and tails are common practices on pretty much all swine farms.

Beating an animal with a prod repeatedly like that is uncalled for. Pigs are stubborn animals but there are more humane ways of moving a pig than that.

A good % of factory farms and packaging plants (slaughterhouses) treat the animals like that. In packaging plants - the animals move on an assembly line and the faster the animals move the better (more profit).
I AM NOT justifying what is shown in the video but the majority of the public has no clue what goes on in large farms, feedlots and plants.

9/18/2008 11:23:33 AM

^ Very respectable post. some prodding is in order, but generally nothing a little tapping of fingers cant solve.

[wonder how many twwers have been covered in hog shit before ]

Quote :

"I AM NOT justifying what is shown in the video but the majority of the public has no clue what goes on in large farms, feedlots and plants."

WORD

9/18/2008 12:12:07 PM

Quote :

"Castrating day old pigs, clipping needle teeth and tails are common practices on pretty much all swine farms. "

you might want to add why castrating day old pigs w/ no anesthesia is a common practice. The first reason is that there is currently no anesthetic product of any kind labeled for use in swine destined for the food supply. What this means is that once you stick an unapproved drug( a drug with no residue avoidance time or withdrawal time) then that pig can not go to market.

Furthermore, it is not feasible to provide either company employees or contract producers with anesthesia drugs, as most are "controlled" by the DEA, and can only be used by a licensed veterinarian.

clipping needle teeth is a practice that has been eliminated in most of the systems i've been in.

docking tails happens, but i'll wager that the people against this practice have never seen a pig w/ his tail bitten and had it turn into a spinal abscess.

when pigs are properly euthanized with blunt force trauma (AVMA approved method of euthanasia for pigs under 12 pounds, referred to in the article as "slamming pigs") they are immediately rendered unconscious and feel no pain. the movement is involuntary.

Quote :

"A good % of factory farms and packaging plants (slaughterhouses) treat the animals like that. In packaging plants - the animals move on an assembly line and the faster the animals move the better (more profit). "

Got a source for that? The truth is, most people that work with pigs are smart enough to realize that happy healthy hogs are beneficial to them financially. I've seen many more growers that are loathe to euthanize a pig, than growers who brag about beating them. As far as the slaughterhouse goes, I'd say the same situation holds true. when pigs are stressed near slaughter time, there is an issue with meat quality called soft exudative pork. Essentially the stress causes the meat to turn to unuseable mush. So that right there is a financial incentive to avoid mishandling.
The fact is that pigs are much easier to move when done so in a quiet and patient manner. so it benefits no one to beat them, much less to say that a good percentage of packing plants do so.

9/18/2008 5:39:33 PM

^interesting stuff

9/18/2008 5:49:53 PM

boo-fucking-hoo

they're going to die and be eaten anyway

9/18/2008 6:34:09 PM

Meat is murder. Tasty, tasty torture and murder.

9/18/2008 6:42:59 PM

mmmm, bacon.

9/18/2008 7:11:57 PM

Porkchop sandwiches? God that smelled good.

9/18/2008 9:22:38 PM

Quote :

"when pigs are properly euthanized with blunt force trauma (AVMA approved method of euthanasia for pigs under 12 pounds, referred to in the article as "slamming pigs") they are immediately rendered unconscious and feel no pain. the movement is involuntary. "

Those 2 are scientific objective statements. You have any proof of them? Did the pigs tell you? Oh but they couldn't have as they are 'unconscious'. So how do you know they feel no pain? Did you hook them up to an EEG? Perhaps there is a study you can point us to.

9/18/2008 9:37:38 PM

who cares..bacon is fucking awesome

9/18/2008 9:38:47 PM

i put dis on my facebook like the day after i read it

9/18/2008 9:52:40 PM

^^^Best I can do for you right now is the AVMA's guidelines for euthanasia
http://www.avma.org/issues/animal_welfare/euthanasia.pdf

Quote :

"EUTHANASIA BY A BLOW TO THE HEAD Euthanasia by a blow to the head must be evaluated in terms of the anatomic features of the species on which it is to be performed. A blow to the head can be a humane method of euthanasia for neonatal animals with thin craniums, such as young pigs, if a single sharp blow delivered to the central skull bones with sufficient force can produce immediate depression of the central nervous system and destruction of brain tissue. When properly performed, loss of consciousness is rapid. The anatomic features of neonatal calves, however, make a blow to the head in this species unacceptable. Personnel performing euthanasia by use of a blow to the head must be properly trained and monitored for proficiency with this method of euthanasia, and they must be aware of its aesthetic implications."

do you really question whether an unconscious animal feels pain? do you understand the concept of unconsciousness? your question about asking the pig further illustrates your absurdity.

as far as involuntary movement, do you understand the concept of motor centers being functional, yet conscious centers being destroyed, thus resulting in unconsciousness followed by respiratory failure?

[Edited on September 18, 2008 at 10:14 PM. Reason : dsfa]

9/18/2008 10:13:56 PM

i'll add some more in a 2nd post, so as not to clutter up the original one

as for the involuntary movement, this is a description of what happens

Quote :

"The pig will go through 2 phases: tonic/clonic movements. tonic activity consists of tensing of the body then relaxation. clonic movements are the kicking/paddling seen"

here's some signs that indicate incomplete unconsciousness:
lifting of the head(righting reflex)
pupil constriction
rhythmic breathing
vocalization
response to stimulus
corneal reflex

[Edited on September 18, 2008 at 10:35 PM. Reason : changed wording]

9/18/2008 10:24:23 PM

<3 quacko

9/18/2008 10:31:18 PM

Quote :

"You have any proof of them? Did the pigs tell you?"

yes OEPII1...the pigs told him

9/19/2008 12:19:21 AM

i bet the thing quacko said is 100 percent accurate and they dont tell shit like this to most of the populace is because it would get a bunch of fucking punk ass youtubers to start slamming pigs and saying "hey look dur hur i'm slamming a pig and making bacon lawl"

9/19/2008 12:41:07 AM

PETA is just a hypocritical terrorist organization.

9/19/2008 9:01:14 AM

^ yes they are.
By definition 'Animal Rights' organizations and activists believe that animals should not be kept, controlled or used by humans for any purpose. This includes companion animals, research, livestock, entertainment, etc... PETA does nothing to help animals in shelters or curb the pet overpopulation problem. In fact, they prefer to euthanize pets rather than find them new homes.
However, their advertisements and marketing strategies contradict their beliefs, begging for money to help the 'poor homeless, abused pets'. So... people dontate money to PETA thinking they are making a difference when in fact PETA uses that money for their ecoterrorism efforts.

9/19/2008 9:36:27 AM

speaking of Ham


my breffast:

Country Ham
Egg
Cheese

.... on TOAST


YEAH TOAST

9/19/2008 9:45:52 AM

Quote :

"^^^Best I can do for you right now is the AVMA's guidelines for euthanasia"

The AVMA isn't the ultimate guide for food animal procedures unfortunately. Too many of their policies dilute protection for the animals involved for the sake of the producers. I (along with quite a few other vet students) wouldn't join their student group for that reason.

9/19/2008 11:59:00 AM

sweet, a couple of self righteous vegan vet students. are you even in vet school any more?

you come talk to me when you remove that student from the end of vet student.

so what is the ultimate guide to food animal euthansia?

which one of the avma guidlines do you have a problem with?

I'm certain that your level of expertise is much greater than the 200 some odd citations used in the formulation of the guidelines. so go ahead and elighten us as to which of the policies are "diluted".

The fact is you dont know half of what you think you do, and you have zero credibility. if you're anything like the naive, ignorant folks in my class, which you've given me no reason to think otherwise, then you've never set foot on a farm, much less have any insight into "diluted policies"



[Edited on September 19, 2008 at 12:19 PM. Reason : fasd]

9/19/2008 12:17:48 PM

I didn't become a vegan because of the animals getting treated horribly, but things like this just make me more determined to stay away from animal products. It's heartbreaking- and while it doesn't happen everywhere, it does happen in more places than people like to think about. Indifference pisses me off more than anything else in situations like this. (Ignorance is right up there with it).

9/19/2008 12:36:00 PM

Quacko ^ what exactly is your experience with livestock and the practices you're talking about.

You've made a lot of statements and are quick to critique everyone else in here.

AVMA policies are greatly influenced by politics thanks to lobbying from producers and companies. NOT necessarily research.

9/19/2008 12:38:02 PM

nvm

[Edited on September 19, 2008 at 12:53 PM. Reason : .]

9/19/2008 12:46:20 PM

production animal vet

good enough for you?

9/19/2008 12:49:09 PM

http://www.petakillsanimals.com/

this whole thing is fucked up, but peta doesn't deserve credit for shit

9/19/2008 12:58:59 PM

fuck PETA

9/19/2008 1:06:22 PM

what practice?

9/19/2008 1:07:27 PM

i'm not in a practice, and that's as far as i'll go

9/19/2008 1:08:36 PM