For Immediate Release
December 2, 2008
20 Captive Hens Released from British Columbia Egg Farm
British Columbia, Canada – According to a communique received by the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, 20 captive hens were released from an unnamed egg farm on the night of November 27th. The hens, who had their beaks amputated, suffered from infections and the loss of most of their feathers due to overcrowded conditions in which they were housed. Although the farm claims the birds are “free-range”, in reality the term means only that the hens are not individually caged; they are still packed in barns so tightly they are denied the chance to roost, take dust baths, or maintain any other semblance of a normal life.
The communique reads, in part:
“Free range is not good enough, organic is not good enough, go vegan and leave the animals in peace. This action was done in solidarity with the turkeys who were mutilated and dismembered on the Aviagen turkey farm in West Virginia which was exposed recently by undercover investigators. We will not stand for these constant attacks on our animal brothers and sisters, you will not get rid of us as we are only getting stronger. –ALF Canada”
Imprisoned for life, egg-laying hens, whether free-range or not, endure intensive confinement, are fed antibiotics to ameliorate infections due to overcrowding, and are killed as soon as their egg-laying capacity starts to diminish. Their beaks are amputated as chicks to prevent damage to other birds. Any male chicks born are discarded, often still alive, into large trash barrels. The natural instincts of these captive animals are completely frustrated; self-mutilation, sickness, infection, poor sanitation and the sheer stress of confinement often lead animals to premature death.
To read the fulll ALF communique, click here.
For more information on factory farming techniques, including free-range chickens, visit http://www.adaptt.org/veganism.html#