Nov 03 2009
Vermont veal slaughterhouse closed down
A Humane Society investigation led to the closure of Vermont-based Bushway Packing Inc. slaughterhouse. Videotape from the investigation reveals that veal calves only a few days old - many with their umbilical cords still hanging from their bodies - were unable to stand or walk on their own. The tape shows that the animals were kicked, slapped and repeatedly shocked with electric prods and subjected to other mistreatment.The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture took decisive action last Friday based on the information provided by The HSUS and immediately suspended operations at the plant, pending a continuing investigation.According to a report published by the Associated Press, “U.S. Department of Agriculture records show Bushway Packing Inc. of Grand Isle was shut down for a day in May, again in June and again in July after an inspector cited it for inhumane treatment of animals.”Still according to the AP report, “the slaughterhouse specialized in “bob veal” - meat from days-old calves that ends up in hot dogs and lunch meats.” Ironically, meat coming from this slaughterhouse was certified organic, which once again highlights how meaningless this label is when it comes to animal products.Veal is a by-product of the dairy industry, therefore the most effective answer to this horrible situation is going vegan. These innocent infants are babies snatched away from their mothers, who are literally milked to death, are then killed for someone’s pleasure. This is a not an industry that can be regulated because cruelty is inherent to the process of animal farming. But everyone can help eradicate it through a vegan diet. It’s that simple.Undercover video – contains imagery that some may find upsetting (but very revealing of what the dairy industry really looks like):
It’s about time they got shut down! How horrific.
After so many years of watching graphic, gut-wrenching video of animals being tortured and abused, I couldn’t open this one and watch. Eating animals is so deeply ingrained in our society and so widely accepted and rarely thought about that we won’t see any meaningful change in peoples’ view of animals for many, many more years.
To say that you won’t give up eating meat because it tastes too good is one of the most shallow, heart-wrenching attitudes a thinking person could possess. I grew up eating meat and didn’t stop eating it until I reached 38. I finally came to the conclusion I could no longer justify my eating meat while I proclaimed to the world my love of animals.
Animals, regardless of species, want to live their lives just as we do. What will it take for humanity to understand that? Why do we believe we have the “right” to kill another living being and consume its flesh. Even religious people feel it is justified because God said so.
Well, I’m certainly not a religious scholar but my understanding of the Bible in this area is that he gave us the “choice”.
We continue to choose to be cruel and inhumane and I find that very troubling about humankind.
The great artist, DaVinci, once said that as long as men will kill and eat animals, they will kill each other. Those are words to ponder.
We cry peace and we beg for peace yet we show no mercy and kindness to the most helpless of our world–tha animals. There will be no peace among men as long as we continue to justify killing and eating animals.