In California, a stand is being taken to the tune of 20 million animals.

[flvegan]

The Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act on the November California Ballot

By Wayne Pacelle
President and Chief Executive Officer
Humane Society of the United States

Americans could barely believe their eyes when shown the sickening mistreatment of downer cows at a Southern California slaughter plant earlier this year. An investigator for The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) went undercover there and documented ailing dairy cows unable to walk being brutalized in order to get them into the slaughter area. Government inspectors and plant management either missed the abuse or allowed it to go on. After the disturbing video came to light, criminal charges were filed against plant workers, the nation’s largest-ever meat recall was initiated, and then the U.S. Agriculture Secretary announced on May 20th that his agency would no longer allow the meat from downer cattle onto our food plates.

This investigation shows us we cannot always wait for the government and the leaders of the factory farming industry to protect animals from abuse or to guard us from food safety threats. That’s why a coalition including The HSUS and other animal protection groups, veterinarians, environmentalists, family farmers, and food safety advocates led an effort in which nearly 800,000 Californians signed petitions to place an anti-cruelty ballot initiative on the November 2008 ballot.

The principle behind the ‘Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act’ is simple: All animals deserve humane treatment, including those raised for food. Specifically, the measure seeks to afford animals raised for food the opportunity to turn around and extend their limbs. It will prevent three of the worst factory farming abuses: veal crates for young male calves, gestation crates for breeding pigs, and battery cages for egg-laying hens.

It is cruel and inhumane to confine animals throughout their lives in cages or crates so small that they cannot turn around or stretch their limbs. On factory farms, veal calves are chained by the neck and confined in tiny stalls; pigs are kept in metal cages called gestation crates that are barely larger than their bodies; and several hens are crammed into a battery cage with each bird having less floor space than a letter-sized sheet of paper. Confining animals in these cages and crates is worse than you or I being forced to live in a middle airplane seat for our entire lives.

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/05/the_prevention.html

Yeah, we know that. But 20 million animals. Can any of us even fathom that number?

20 million. Looks like a good bit of change.

http://hsus.typepad.com/wayne/2008/05/ca-farm-animals.html

Know anybody in California, or anyone that knows someone that knows someone that once had lunch with someone in California...ring 'em up.

http://humanecalifornia.org/

This is the big one, folks.

Thanks for reading this.

[Tumbulu]

1. It is so important

and judging by the extra signatures gathered in order to get it on the ballet it should pass. Everyday people are really upset to hear that these things are legal. And the ridiculous Farm Bureau people claim that it is scientifically acceptable to treat farm animals this way. Only thing is the major vet organizations support the proposition.

So, if we can get it passed here, maybe more states will pass it. Perhaps it will become national. I would like have seen this added: no products from animals kept in cages from other states should be allowed into the state for consumption..... That would level the playing field and also reduce suffering of farm animals from other states at the same time.

[flvegan]

2. IBy your second paragraph, you got it.

Well done.