Animal Liberation Front Rescue Ducks

Media Release: Animal Liberation Front Rescue Ducks from Factory Farm Misery Sunday 17th November 2007

Auckland Animal Action has anonymously received footage highlighting the cruel and inhumane conditions that ducks suffer on factory farms and slaughterhouses throughout New Zealand.

The footage obtained follows the ducks from hatchlings to slaughter. During this time the birds can be seen suffering from ammonia burns, overcrowding and eye infections due to a lack of water. At the slaughterhouse the footage documents workers punching a bird, attempting to kick another and slitting ones throat with what appears to be a hose end.

The ducks enter the farm at a few days old and reach slaughter weight by week six. By this time there is very little room for the birds to move; this overcrowding causes them much stress. The ducks excrement is left to build up over this time and reaches a toxic level causing severe ammonia burns to the ducks.

Spokeswoman for Auckland Animal Action Kali Sandbrook says: "As aquatic birds, water is of the utmost importance to ducks who would naturally spend upwards of 75 percent of their day swimming, eating and socialising in the water. However, on factory farms ducks cannot even fully immerse their heads in water which leads to eye infections and sometimes blindness."

As part of their investigation, members of the Animal Liberation Front rescued 30 ducks from this suffering. In the communique received by Auckland Animal Action the ALF activists stated "For the short six weeks of their lives they are crammed in to overcrowded, filthy sheds where they are deprived of water to bathe in, nesting material and the ability to display natural behaviours and social patterns. The suffering and cruelty these animals are forced to endure is legitimised by the state. We do not respect a legal system that puts economics before the preservation of life, we are only concerned with what is right."

Ms Sandbrook says "We are extremely pleased to hear that 30 ducks have been spared this life of misery and an untimely death and can now life free, fulfilling lives."

"We recognise the governments failure to prevent such cruelty and understand that by putting economics first, the government has left compassionate people no choice but to take direct action to save lives."

Anonymous communique in full:

Over the past few months we have documented the cruel conditions which ducks are forced to endure on factory farms in Aotearoa. During our investigation, 30 beautiful ducks have been rescued and are now free to spend the rest of their natural life playing in the water, where they belong.

Sadly the thousands we left behind will have long been murdered, packaged and shipped off to be consumed. Like other factory farmed animals, ducks are not treated as thinking, feeling beings, but as commodities to be turned in to profit.

For the short six weeks of their lives they are crammed in to overcrowded, filthy sheds where they are deprived of water to bathe in, nesting material and the ability to display natural behaviours and social patterns.

The suffering and cruelty these animals are forced to endure is legitimised by the state. We do not respect a legal system that puts economics before the preservation of life, we are only concerned with what is right.

We stand in solidarity with our comrades worldwide to fight for an earth free from oppression.

Until every shed is empty, we will not rest.

ALF

ENDS

© Scoop Media