Chicks, Man

Understanding that the inhumane killing of animals is something that goes on every day in nations with industrialized food systems does not make this video, shot by an undercover activist from an animal rights group, any easier to watch, or even hear about.

The Des Moines Register: "The video, shot with a hidden camera and microphone by a Mercy for Animals employee who got a job at the plant, shows a Hy-Line worker sorting through a conveyor belt of chirping chicks, flipping some of them into a chute like a poker dealer flips cards. These chicks, which a narrator says are males, are then shown being dropped alive into a grinding machine. In other parts of the video, a chick is shown dying on the factory floor amid a heap of egg shells after falling through a sorting machine. Another chick, also still alive, is seen lying on the floor after getting scalded by a wash cycle, according to the video narrator. Hy-Line said the video 'appears to show an inappropriate action and violation of our animal welfare policies,' referring to chicks on the factory floor. But the company also noted that 'instantaneous euthanasia' - a reference to killing of male chicks by the grinder - is a standard practice supported by the animal veterinary and scientific community."

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP (warning: extremely graphic) ...

Previously...
Circus Handlers Beat Elephants in New Ringling Bros. PETA Video [tr]

Circus Handlers Beat Elephants in New Ringling Bros. PETA Video

 

PETA went undercover at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and today released a video documenting animal abuse, specifically against elephants and tigers, at Ringling Bros. Circus.

The NYDN reports:

"A worker with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals used a secret camera to document what the group calls the abuse of animals as they're led from holding pens to the stage. The animals are seen herded together, wearing headdresses, while trainers stand around, appearing to randomly whip them with bull hooks across the head, legs and body. Loud cracking noises can be heard. In one scene, a handler curses an elephant, saying, 'F--- you, fat ass' before using his whip to nonchalantly strike its trunk. The elephants are led with a bull hook - a long pole with a metal point at the end - used to pull them by the trunk. The undercover PETA employee scored a job with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and traveled with the circus as it toured seven states, a spokesman said."

A website has been launched exposing the circus.

Watch the video, AFTER THE JUMP...

Andy Dick Tries to Scare McDonald's Customers, Does Good Job

Coulrophobes beware. Last week, PETA held an anti- chicken cruelty demonstration outside a Chicago McDonald's. Andy Dick had a starring role.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

(via copyranter and the awl)

PETA Angry at Obama for Killing Fly

PETA is angry at President Obama for swatting at, and then killing a fly during a CNBC interview on Tuesday. They are sending him a Katcha Bug Humane Bug Catcher, that traps flies for later release outdoors.

Said PETA spokesman Bruce Friedrich: "We support compassion even for the most curious, smallest and least sympathetic animals. We believe that people, where they can be compassionate, should be, for all animals."

Video, AFTER THE JUMP...

(via joe.my.god)

Owain Yeoman is a Shirtless Vegetarian for PETA

Owain Yeoman, who plays Officer Wayne Rigsby on CBS' The Mentalist, appears shirtless in a new ad for PETA. Says Yeoman: "I’ve seen how violently animals raised for food are treated, and I don’t want to support that." (I'd rather just admire how well I take care of myself)

Yeoman is the latest to strip for PETA. In February, Battlestar Galactica's Jamie Bamber took it all off to raise awareness about the killing of bears.

Will Pet Shop Boys Change Name to 'Rescue Shelter Boys' for PETA?

PETA UK sent a letter to Pet Shop Boys Chris Lowe and Neil Tennant asking the pop duo to change their name in an effort to raise awareness about cruelty in the pet trade. They posted it to their website.

"Dear Neil and Chris,

"You have many loyal fans of the Pet Shop Boys here at PETA. We have a request that may at first seem bizarre, but we hope that after considering the following facts, you will understand why we are asking this of you: will you please consider changing your name from the Pet Shop Boys to the Rescue Shelter Boys?

Most dogs and cats sold in pet shops are sourced from profit-hungry breeders who may have bred them in cramped, filthy conditions. With an emphasis on quantity rather than quality, unmonitored genetic defects and personality disorders pass from one generation of puppies and kittens to the next. Many animals end up with abnormalities that result in both heartbreak and high veterinary bills for the unsuspecting people who buy them. For every bird who reaches a pet shop, three others have died during capture, confinement and transportation. Hamsters, mice and other rodents are often bred by the pet shops themselves, leading to inbreeding, genetic weaknesses, physical deformities and behavioural disorders.

Most pet-shop animals are kept in cages or runs that are far too small for their needs. Exercise is minimal, and they often never leave their cages until the day that they are sold. Nocturnal animals are displayed throughout the day under glaring lights. Predators, such as snakes, may be displayed alongside their prey. No screening is done to ensure the suitability of prospective guardians.

By agreeing to change your name to the Rescue Shelter Boys, you would help raise awareness about the cruelty involved in the pet trade and encourage your millions of fans to consider giving a home to an abandoned or unwanted animal from an animal shelter. So, what do you say?"

The Pet Shop Boys responded that the request is something they are "unable to agree to but nonetheless think raises an issue worth thinking about" and posted a link directing people to find information back at PETA.

Upon inquiry, PETA's Senior VP Dan Mathews told Towleroad: "Neil Tennant shows that the Pet Shop Boys are just as smart as their lyrics and appreciate PETA's creative ways of bringing issues to the public."