June 23, 2008 - Open Rescue In Solidarity with Austrian Activists

"13 hens rescued

Animal Liberation Victoria's Openrescue team saved the lives of 13 battery hens from abysmal conditions inside an Australian egg laying factory today (June 22, 2008). The rescue was in solidarity with the ten Austrian animal activists who have been imprisoned without reasonable cause since May 21. Some of the activists are on hunger strike, including Dr Martin Balluch who hasn't eaten for a month and is currently being forcefed inside the prison hospital.

Six activists literally saved the lives of many hens as well as removing them from the putrid shed. Two hens were found near death caught trapped in the wire and baffle plate of their cages, and eight others were rescued from a manure pit filled with oozing excrement, dead bodies, dying hens, beetles, rats and feral cats. When Setha, who was on his first rescue, realised the hens were trapped in the manure pit he immediately jumped down to help them. One of the numerous hens he saved from a sure death of starvation and dehydration in the pit we named Martina in honor of Martin Balluch. This hen was severely emaciated and dehydrated and on death's door, she weighed less than half a kilogram. Martina has incredible spirit and is slowly starting to eat again. Others were ill and weighted down with heavy manure balls.

The last two photos feature Martina. Each Austrian prisoner has a rescued hen named in their honor. Christine for Christian, Christa for Christof, Elmara for Elmar, Felicitas for Felix, Jan for Jan, Jurga for Jurgan, Keva for Kevin, Lea for Leo, Martina for Martin and Sabine for Sabine.

ALV have carried out numerous rescues at this property over ten years and made countless complaints to the authorities, especially about the hens dying in the manure pits. Nobody cares.... the Austrian activists DO! Stand up and be a voice for them and the hens.

Free the Austrian Activists & Free the Animals

Go to this link to email the Austrian Authorities to free the activist prisoners.

Go to this link to email the Austrian Prisoners."

Press release (visit kangaroolives.com to learn more about the recent slaughter of over 500 kangaroos in Canberra):

"At the Belconnen Naval Station kangaroo slaughter, security guards have joined in herding kangaroos, witnessed by shocked protesters. Witnesses saw security waving their arms, hitting fencing and creating chaos to herd the panicked kangaroos forward.

The ensuing chaos and stress inflicted on the kangaroos resulted in many violently hitting the barrier fences and breaking legs and left to die.

So chaotic was the situation, that a joey was trampled and separated from it’s mother, the frightened joey managed to scramble into nearby scrub. It remained there the entire day seperated from it’s mother and left to die or be killed by the shooters.

Fortunately for this Joey, it’s location remained constant due to the stress inflicted by securities unlawful herding efforts. The joeys location was monitored by protesters throughout the day.

With the location of the joey known, a motivated individual managed to avoid detection by security, and rescued this orphaned joey that was near death and exposed to the elements. The rescue took place without disturbing nearby kangaroos or causing stress.

This saved joey - the very animal we proudly display on our coat of arms, and hold as the very iconic symbol of our great nation, will now live a long and free life well away from the killer capital - Canberra Australia.

Protesters at the Belconnen site are now being intimidated, harassed and systematically pursued with false allegations by security in a clumsy attempt to have them removed from the site as witnesses to the inhumane slaughter. Let the world know this is an inhumane slaughter and the RSPCA ACT are doing nothing to stop it!

The ACT Government deliberately over inflating the relocation cost in order to carry out it’s Eastern Grey Kangaroo kill policy. A number of much cheaper non-lethal relocation proposals were submitted but ignored by Canberra’s redneck Government. The Government stated it was $3.5 million for relocation, when the factual price is between $400,00 and $700,000

The blood on the ground has not yet dried from this farcical inhumane slaughter at Belconnen, and Chief Minister Stanhopes already planning the next mass kill at Majura.

Anyone that considers themselves a patriotic intelligent Australian should be outraged at the injustices and relentless persecution of Eastern Grey Kangaroos taking place in the Nations Capital, and put a stop to it.
This is our national icon!

For further shocking facts, interviews and images about this inhumane slaughter in Australia’s national capital - Media can call 0450 409 382

Friends of the animal army"

May 23, 2008 -- Calf Rescued from Paddock of Horrors

received anonymously (click here to view photos from the rescue):

"Four weeks ago while in the Waikato, animal rights activists stumbled across a paddock of recently dehorned ‘dairy’ cattle. The faces of these adult cows were covered in blood as were their tails, the grass, fence posts and water trough. The practice of de-horning ‘dairy’ cattle is very common because slaughter houses commonly will not take cattle whose horns are longer than their ears. Horns can cause damage to the hide and bruising which ‘downgrades’ their flesh and thus are undesirable for economic reasons. Dehorning commonly involves the amputation of the whole horn with guillotine shears, a butcher’s saw, embryotomy wire or scoop dehorners (interlocking semicircular blades).

The Animal Welfare (painful husbandry procedures) Code of Welfare 2005 minimum standards require that all cows dehorned over the age of 9 months are to be administered pain relief. That said all cows under 9 months can have their horns (which have nerves and blood vessels in them) removed without pain relief. The code also recommends that wound dressing or medication should be applied to the cut horns to prevent infection and excessive blood loss. In this case excessive blood loss appears to have occurred. Many of the cows had blood dripping into their eyes and both sides of their faces were soaked.

The activists returned to the paddock the following day to obtain video footage but found that the cows had been moved. Instead they found a mother cow who had recently given birth to what appeared to be a happy and healthy calf who was drinking from her. It was not until a few minutes had passed that the activists noticed another seemingly abandoned calf in the paddock. His mother had not cleaned him off nor got him to his feet. He was covering in mucous and trying to get up but with no luck. With his mother down the other end of the paddock with her other calf she seemed to have no interest in this boy. Sensing that the little calf was very unlikely to survive and knowing that even if he did he would soon be sent to slaughter the little calf was bundled up into a blanket and onto the back seat of the car.

The little calf, who turns out to be a male Murray Grey, was whisked off to a vegetarian landowner who had him wrapped up in blankets and hot water bottles. He was given some homemade colostrum and thankfully made it through the night.. Colostrum is necessary for calf health, growth and protection from disease. The newborn calf is particularly vulnerable to disease - in particular, pneumonia and diarrhoea (scour). The colostrum contains extra nutrients and antibodies to help protect the calf at this time.

A few weeks on this little guy is doing well and has made good friends with the three dogs that he lives with. He sleeps inside and has a little coat to keep him warm during the winter weather. In recent days he has been put on to a nursing cow and is starting to put on weight. He will likely always be a little smaller and weaker than other bulls because his mother did not give him her colostrum as soon as he was born but things look promising for him. He will live out the many years ahead of him as a much loved member of his new family. Sadly his little bother, who was left on the farm, will have already been sent to slaughter, butchered, plastic wrapped and cooked for someone’s dinner.

Milk is not intended for human consumption any more than human breast milk is intended for cows. Milk is intended for a cows calf and she will not produce milk unless she has been pregnant and given birth, much like human womyn. The dairy industry therefore needs cows to give birth from time to time to keep the milk, and thus the profits, flowing. The calves are the unwanted by-product of pregnancy’s on a dairy farm. Within 2 days of giving birth, the calves are taken from the cow and either sent to slaughter, sold or a small number of females are kept as replacement dairy cows. In New Zealand there are approximately one and a half million calves slaughtered yearly in abattoirs, this does not include calves killed on farms 'homekill' or calves aborted and killed on the farm. Can you imagine taking a crying baby from it's mother at 2 days old, at 4 days old herding it scared and unsteadily onto a truck, sending it to be stunned and have its throat cut? This is the reality of dairy farming in New Zealand, both on organic and non-organic farms. The bobby calf meat industry relies on the dairy industry to supply it with calves for slaughter. Without dairy cows giving birth every year, there would be few calves to kill.
MILK IS MURDER!"

New Zealand Open Rescue press release (click here to view photos from the rescue):

"New Zealand Open Rescue
Mother’s Day rescue, piglets saved from horror

New Zealand Open Rescue has conducted an undercover investigation into an intensive piggery in Auckland, uncovering gruesome evidence and rescuing two female piglets.

“Our investigation revealed death, cannibalism and immense suffering,” says New Zealand Open Rescue spokesperson Deirdre Sims.

“We witnessed sows in farrowing crates anguished in extreme confinement. These mother pigs were unable to walk or turn around, let alone able to interact with their babies. Our team also documented many dead piglets, one of which had been severely cannibalized.

"We rescued two female piglets from this horror, placing them into a wonderful new home. We did this so that these young females will never have to endure the suffering and deprivation that their mothers experience.

“This Mother’s Day weekend, we urge the New Zealand public to spare a thought for sows imprisoned on intensive piggeries across the country. Boycott pork and help bring an end to this cruelty”, says Ms. Sims.

The piggery investigation and rescue documentary can be viewed here:

anonymous communique received by Auckland Animal Action (click here for additional photos):

"This week we made our third visit to the Somerdale Poultry Lodge in South Auckland. This farm is owned by convicted Animal Abuser Mr Van Den Bogaart.

At this 'Lodge' the hens are kept in almost complete darkness and are crammed into small plastic cages where they can not adequately stretch their wings let alone dust bath, play or carry out any of their natural behaviours.

We were able to spare 40 hens this miserable existence and they are now recovering in loving homes. They will no longer be treated as egg producing machines and they will be free to live as they please.

Later this week we visited a South Auckland pullet farm and liberated 90 sweet girls destined for a battery hen farm. These lucky chicks still have many of their yellow feathers and fortunately know little of the horrors that were in store for them. These young pullets are in good spirits and have been placed in warm, loving homes where they too can be free.

We would like to dedicate this action to a Suzanne Carey; our fallen comrade. While we never met her what we heard of Suzanne has left the impression that she was a tireless activist dedicated to the fight for animal liberation. The animals have lost a great friend.

For Suzanne and the animals.

ALF!"

 
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February 17, 2008 -- Piglet Saved from Slaughter

anonymous communique (click here for additional photographs):

"Every year through out New Zealand hundreds of thousands of pigs are confined to sow crates, farrowing crates and fattening pens. Males in the fattening pens live in their own excrement in cramped pens where they await slaughter. The females are treated as machines, being constantly confined to sow or farrowing crates where they can not turn around, comfortably lie down or properly care for their young. Before long their babies are ripped away from them and they are impregnated again. They are treated as though they do not feel pain, as though they do not matter, as though they are profit.

We recently entered a shed containing farrowing crates on an intensive pig farm in Auckland. Along with documenting the heart breaking conditions these mothers are forced endure we also liberated one sweet little piglet. He has been nicknamed ‘Strawberry’ after his fondness of the fruit. He was a third of the size of his littermates and would certainly have not survived much longer on the farm, though if he had he was destined to be slaughtered. He has since been placed in a new home where he is free to be a pig; to run, play and forage.

Pigs are not profit and they are not food; they are thinking feeling loving beings that deserve to be free!

Viva ALF!"

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January 17, 2008 -- New Zealand -- 31 Hens Rescued in Solidarity with Activist on Trial

Christchurch Open Rescue has announced the rescue of 31 hens from a farm south of Chirstchurch. "The action was carried out in solidarity with Mark Eden, an Open Rescue member in Wellington who is currently facing charges for his role in a rescue at a Foxton farm," the group said in a statement. "The birds have all been provided with new homes where they can live out their lives free to exhibit their natural behaviours.”

January 9, 2008 -- Australia -- Broiler Breeder Rescue

Animal Liberation Victoria open rescue (click here to view photos from the rescue):

"Broiler Breeder Parent Bird Rescue

January 1, 2008 (ongoing undercover investigation in place so no location identification)
Rescue Team members: Dave, Tayah, Sharon, Laurens, Amanda, Patty and Judy
13 birds rescued, three near death who were euthanised by vet due to poor condition."

January 6, 2008 -- New Zealand -- New Year Brings Freedom for Suffering Hens

Press Release: Auckland Animal Action
5th of January 2008

New Year Brings Freedom for Suffering Hens

On New Years Eve while many were partying Animal Rights Activists were seeing in the New Year by entering a battery hen farm in South Auckland. Thirty hens were rescued from this farm and the conditions documented.

This was the last in a series of raids that have formed an investigation into the egg production process. During this investigation activists also entered a farm during the daylight in South Auckland late in November and a pullet farm in Northland during early December.

During the December raid 25 pullets were liberated and have since been placed in loving homes. Pullet is the name given to young hens from the age of eight weeks until they start laying. On this particular farm the footage obtained shows small wire cages, similar to battery cages, containing about ten pullets.

Video footage and photographs obtained during this investigation shows that many of the birds were in a poor condition, having missing feathers and inflamed red skin from rubbing on the bars of the cages; all hens shown are de-beaked.

Auckland Animal Action spokesperson Kali Sandbrook says ‘With footage from several farms it is evident that filth, over crowding and cruelty are unfortunately standard for this industry’.

Ms Sandbrook went on to say ‘We hope that the public will use their power to stop this cruelty and resolve to go egg – free in 2008’.

Please note:

- The True Cost of Eggs: a documentary made from footage of this investigation can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sd4ikC-tBI . This is available on DVD from Auckland Animal Action.

- Click here to view photos from the raid.

- Communique received with footage:

'For the past two months we have been documenting the cruelty inherent in egg production.

We act because the animals who are suffering right now do not have time to wait and hope for parliamentary change. The Government have proven time and time again that they value business over the lives of innocent beings.

We act out of love and compassion for our animal brothers and sisters.

We act for the freedom and liberation of all".