Rescue Journal

help to ban pig gestation confinement crates

Carol  ·  Jul. 20, 2010

Dear CETFA supporters,

A new video documenting the lives of sows in a Manitoba barn has just been posted on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watchv=lxIAM4QeQUM The video is based on footage shot by CETFA investigators who visited the same sow operation for the last 3 years.

Like the barn where the recent massive pig starvation case happened (charges have still not been laid), this operation was also owned and operated by a Director of Manitoba Pork.

Since 2002, the Manitoba government had been told workers at this operation were cutting open live, unanesthetized sows having difficulty farrowing to remove the lucrative piglets, yet did nothing.

The facility was decommissioned earlier this year, not because of government action but because of a lack of profitability. Scalpels were found among the abandoned medical supplies discovered during our visit in May, 2010.

The video clearly shows the progressive, debiliitating effects of barren, metal gestation crates on sows who spend nearly their entire adult lives confined to them.

Please help make gestation crates history. Write Agriculture Minister Stan Struthers at minagr@leg.gov.mb.ca or call him at (204) 945-3722.

Thank you.

Twyla and the CETFA Team

P.S. Remember to tune in to Global National, July 28th at 10 pm to watch REVEALED: No Country for Animals, a documentary featuring our investigators as they expose government-sanctioned cruelty to farm animals in transport, on farms, collecting stations, auction houses and slaughterhouses.

Comments

Marisa

Even better than trying to get gestation crates banned, stop buying dead pig to eat!! Then you are not contributing to the horrendous suffering of these very intelligent and sensitive beings (some say...fourth smartest animal after humans, chimpanzees and dolphins).

Kim

This video is so tragically sad. I hate watching stuff like this, but feel it is my duty to be informed (as much as possible) on practices like this... thanks for posting, to raise an awareness of the sow's horrific existence in these cruel confines. I emailed Stan Struthers with my thoughts.

Colleen B

Ok, I'll come out around noon on Saturday to catch the end of the cleaning and stay for a few hours to keep everyone company.

Carol

i will be leaving early on saturday...like at 9am to help set up (after i do the diabetics and meds)...and should be home by early evening (after the clean up) to do both again..the ceremony is at 11 am and the reception starts at 1 pm...laura is going to put the barn guys to bed for me and check on the rest of the animals around 5 or 6 pm or so....if someone wants to check on everyone around 3 pm that would be great. i will have my cell if there are any concerns.
sunday is fine...i will be here in the morning and again for barn bedtime...i will probably spend the afternoon with my out of town family unless they all come up here.

Colleen B

I've re-posted to facebook...and now I might go cry/vomit.

Carol - do you need help outside the normal volunteer hours this weekend? I can come out later each day to do a house clean/check up. Let us know what you need or if you've already got it covered.

Poppy

Not sure if I found the link you were trying to post but holy shit did I get an eyeful with what I did find :(

Mauro Salles

Sorry, Carol. I use to "follow" Twyla Francois.

The right link is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxIAM4QeQUM