Target: Tom Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture
Goal: Mandate CCTV in all U.S. slaughterhouses and transport vehicles to ensure that animal welfare regulations are being followed.
Billions of animals on factory farms are subjected to routine abuse in the form of painful disfigurements, extreme confinement, and untreated disease. The torture does not end here, but continues until the minute an animal’s throat is slit and blood is drained– oftentimes, while still conscious. Thanks to eyewitness accounts and undercover footage that has been recorded in slaughterhouses across the nation, the cruel methods these animals must endure as they are sent off to be killed have been revealed to the public at large.
As animals enter the slaughterhouse, they can smell the blood and hear the screams of others before them. This is an extremely stressful and fear-inducing process, and animals regularly attempt to escape, though it is often to no avail. Animals are commodified, and workers’ goal is to kill as many animals as quickly and efficiently as possible, rather than to make sure these sentient beings are comfortable in their final moments. Animals that fail to cooperate are brutally kicked and beaten with tools such as shovels and cattle prods. Though animals are often stunned before they enter the slaughterhouse– a practice sought to render them unconscious– many times this is either done improperly or is not effective enough, as it may be hours or even days subjected to the torturous conditions of their impending deaths before an animal is actually killed.
There is still relatively little to ensure the humane treatment of animals in slaughterhouses as according to the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. While the USDA once required external inspectors to ensure animal welfare and food safety standards were upheld, recent USDA rules have been implemented to allow both factory farms and slaughterhouses to conduct self inspections. Needless to say, this change in legislation is extremely harmful to animals, as workers are now pretty much able to decide their own regulations without fear of governmental intervention. In addition, there has been a recent surge in the campaigning for “ag gag” legislation. Such would make it illegal for undercover documentation of slaughterhouse practices, and would allow companies to avoid any accountability for violations to USDA protections.
England, in particular, has taken extensive measures to ensure the welfare of animals used for human consumption through the mandation of CCTV cameras in slaughterhouses. Many additional countries in the UK, as well as others like France, are in the process of implementing similar protective measures for their own slaughter facilities. This new legislation– which necessitates ongoing surveillance on slaughterhouse plants– would likely deter slaughterhouse workers from actively abusing animals. This footage can be monitored by welfare experts, and in case of any suspected breach of animal welfare standards, can be referred back to in order to ensure no maltreatment has occurred.
Sign this petition to encourage lawmakers to push for similar legislation in US slaughterhouses and transport vehicles and to preserve the rights of sentient farm animals.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Secretary Vilsack,
As of 2021, the United States enacted a law permitting slaughter plants to self inspect, forgoing the standard USDA protocol of external inspection that had previously been in place to ensure that animal welfare standards– as according to the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act– were being upheld. This law poses a huge threat for livestock across the U.S., as the limited protection they once had has been rapidly disappearing. Now, without the deterrence of potential penalization by welfare experts or government officials, slaughterhouse companies are at their own discretion, and the animals at the mercy of people who view them as nothing more than meat to be shipped off and sold for a small profit.
Billions of animals are exploited each year by agricultural practices aimed at feeding the incessant needs of human consumption. Animals that survive the cramped conditions of disease ridden transport vehicles are soon after forced to endure treacherous conditions at the slaughterhouses they are delivered to. Right away, these animals can hear the cries of others killed before them and can smell the blood as these animals are drained of life. Clued into the fate that awaits each and every one of them, these animals are extremely stressed and afraid.
Worker practices at these facilities do not help to soothe the animals. Uncooperative animals are viciously beaten and, although animals are to be stunned before slaughter, this process is usually completed improperly or inefficiently, and animals are many times still conscious when they are hung from their legs and bled out onto the killing floor.
Many other countries are in the process of enacting stricter legislation to protect farm animals from abuse during transport and slaughter. Among these efforts is the mandatory implementation of CCTV cameras in slaughterhouses to allow welfare officials to monitor activity and ensure that animal welfare standards are upheld. We are asking you, Mr. Vilsack, to please implement CCTV cameras in transport vehicles and slaughterhouses across the nation to make sure animals are treated with the respect promised to them by the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. These animals deserve to have their limited rights protected, not stripped away in the name of corporate greed.
Sincerely,
[Your Name here]
Photo Credit: Nom d’util
Lisa+M.+Lehman
Hell is Reserved for YOU!
ILL-BORN BASTARDS!
You betcha!! Death to those monsters!!!
Death upon those vile monsters!!
Hell not only will be waiting to welcome the cattle owners but for their workers as well!
How disturbing to know that humanity has no compassion after covid. Animals deserve our respect not just a food source. The amount of meat consumed since covid has reduced considerably since people have noticed excessive blood in chickens and meat- this indicates the stress the poor animal endured before death.
People even using Marijuana in chicken to make them bigger!!!
Animal consumption at this rate will hurt you as a human if you eat meat
Amen-As a whole; “Man” is a horrid species. No thought to others’ agony; agony 9 out of 10 times people produce for all species including their own. Just what such individuals desire is all that matters. Yes; even with Covid; just as abhorrent.
How can you not see that these animals are no different from our own pets? They feel pain and fear and are smart enough to know that death is around the corner. I stopped eating animal meat. I cannot contribute to this suffering. Please for the love of God somebody stop this atrocity. The animals are hit with a shovel!!! Why? Because they don’t walk down the death shoot fast enough? How fast would you walk? 😪😡😪
VEGAN is the ONLY ethical eating option because it’s 100% CRUELTY-FREE!! GO VEGAN and stop being a hypocrite!!!
NON-vegans, UPGRADE your MORAL STANDARD. It’s 2022!!!!
Factory farming is destroying our planet. Millions of cows, chickens, and pigs live and die in horrible, abusive conditions. Thousands of tons of emissions and animal waste runoff contaminate our air and water every year.
Factory farmed animals are raised in filthy, cramped conditions and will experience a life of trauma and stress before being slaughtered. What’s more — industrial agriculture is one of the largest contributors to climate change, producing powerful greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide that are warming up our planet.
DITCH animal-based products, GO VEGAN and become an INTELLIGENT consumer!!
Yes,100% agree. Stop supporting this disgusting industry!
At the minimum- these plants need to have cameras and a slower rate of processing an where workers are not paid on the number of animals processed.
There is no need to kill innocent animals -a healthier lifestyle would be vegetables and fruits only….
Poor little piggies — sounds evil what they do to them and should be stopped!
And what about the cattle that have to walk with their throats slit?
Dear Secretary Vilsack,
Can’t you help and advocate to stop the needless suffering of those innocent animals at the hands of those heartless wretches capable of committing such atrocities?
Unfortunately, all that is seen lately in the US is pettiness and greed regardless of the damage or suffering of living beings, be it forests with irreparable damage or animals that do not deserve such brutal treatment
Yes, please all humans THINK about these animals. Have empathy. This is just cruelty plain and simple. It is unnecessary. I’ve been meat free most of my life, vegan, and I’m a perfectly healthy human. To quote Edgars Mission here in Australia – “If we could live healthy and happy lives, without harming others? Why wouldn’t we?”
ALL animals feel pain, all suffer and feel fear. All want to preserve their own life. ALL lives are equally important, regardless of what species the animal is.
Since when are we humans OK with cruelty? I don’t believe this is the way God planned it when he gave us domain over the animals.
Vilsack should show his children or grand children what he condones when providing food for America. I’m sure they would be as shocked as the rest of the country and would ask him to stop it!
Any slaughterhouses found to have any violations must be shut down immediately, all animals seized, and all animals given to sanctuaries. Each location must be fined $1 million dollars and all owners each must serve 15 years in prison with no early parole, and be banned for life from owning, going near, or working with any animals ever again
I agree with you, we need to do more to protect this innocent animals
The majority of these bastards who work – if you can call it that – in these slaughter houses ( death pits) enjoy their grizzly work torturing these innocent animals. Get immense pleasure from causing them horrendous pain and suffering.
I do have a better idea that might work in the U.S. and would be as follows:- All of these murderers and rapists who are behind bars, get rid of the useless fuckers in the same way and lessen the serious drain on society!
The same the world over. Cruelty and animal torture and abuse is out of hand the world over. Governments have the power to stop. this but would no doubt affect their profit margin so they turn a blind eye.
These so-called slaughter men are sick bastards who enjoy domination over innocent animals.
What would be good is stringing these sickkos up by their balls and thrashing seven barrels of shit out of them!
Power to anyone who can give these bastards a taste of their own tortuous medicine!
Agree 100% Can only hope these demon evil fuckers who relish torturing animals and seeing their suffering will in turn return to hell to have their throats slit by Satan, over and over again. That is my prayer for all fucking human/demons that live upon this earth and are cruel to animals of any species.
YOU WICKED, EVIL MONSTERS. HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF THIS HAPPENED TO YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONES EH?! TO SAY YOU ARE CRUEL AND DISGUST ME AND MILLIONS OF OTHERS, IS BEING POLITE. SHAME ON ALL OF YOU WHO BRING SUCH PAIN, FEAR, HORROR AND EVIL TO ANY ANIMAL IS A DISGRACE….YOUR KARMA IS WHAT YOU ARE MAKING NOW. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU BELIEVE THAT OR NOT…IT IS HAPPENING BECAUSE YOU ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN. SHAME ON YOU….YOU ARE A DIGRACEFUL, DIGUSTING EXCUSE FOR HUMAN BEINGS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU INVOLVED IN THESE VILE ACTIONS.
This is of no surprise when it comes to the USDA. This is Government. And just like Government, they ignore the very Laws that are supposed to be enforced. They have their hands in the same slime pot as businesses like slaughterhouses that commit crimes against animals. Whether these animals are up for slaughter or not, they do not deserve to feel pain or be mistreated and abused by improper farming practices.
I keep 2 cows at a time to help keep down the fire hazards from dry grass on our property. They have about 14 acres to graze. These animals are also pets that have shelter and treats and food subsidized when needed. I never knew a cows capacity for feelings and their ability to love each other and humans until I got them. Right now one of my cows (Tommy) thinks he is a dog. He runs and plays, runs circles around me and loves to be pet and his head scratched.
Over the years we have lost 3 due to bad falls and not able to get up again. They call to you to help them and the fear in their eyes are truly heartbreaking. All I can do is comfort them until the vet comes to end their suffering. They are aware of what is happening and take comfort in your being there. They cry when they lose a partner and truly feel loss. Do I eat meat? Yes but I plan to change that shortly now that I know how they are slaughtered. If you get a chance pull up to a pasture talk to a cow and look in their eyes. There is a creature with a brain and a heart that deserves better than they get.
I agree with Gabriela Torres
“Secretary Vilsack,
Can’t you help and advocate to stop the needless suffering of those innocent animals at the hands of those heartless wretches capable of committing such atrocities?
Unfortunately, all that is seen lately in the US is pettiness and greed regardless of the damage or suffering of living beings, be it forests with irreparable damage or animals that do not deserve such brutal treatment”
I must add ,,,,, THIS EVIL TREATMENT MUST STOP,,,,IMMEDIATELY !!!
do the same thing to them. worthless pieces of garbage.
I agree that cctv cameras should be required in slaughterhouses and transport vehicles to record and /or deter the abuse of farm animals. If workers are guilty of abusing these animals, they should be punished.
The coward POS’s that do that sh*t need to meet up with some real animal lovers, including me, & try to pull something like they have been doing to those animals. I guarantee, they would lose. A lot of us are military veterans, & we know how to handle crap like them!
Wrath – I agree with your comment and all comments.
The coward POS’s that do that sh*t need to meet up with some real animal lovers, including me, & try to pull something like they have been doing to those animals. I guarantee, they would lose. A lot of us are military veterans, & we know how to handle crap like them!
I am with you their. I would help to make sure these animal torturing murdering monsters suffer in excruciating agony until these monsters from hell took their last and final vile and evil breath.Kill them slowly. What the monsters deserve.
Burn in hell where you monsters from hell belong.
I AGREE, HELL IS WAITING FOR AL THOSE WHO DISRESPECT WHAT GOD HAS CREATED. I WILL NOT ASK MERCY FOR THEM, CAUSE THEY HAVE NOT EARNED IT.