Animal Liberation Front Removes Fencing at Captive Elk
Facility in Clackamas, Oregon
Clackamas, OR: In an anonymous communique received by
the North American Animal Liberation Press Office this week, Animal
Liberation Front (ALF) activists claim to have destroyed fencing at the
Damascus Elk Farm in Clackamas, Oregon, potentially allowing captive elk
to run free. Elk remaining on the farm are destined for slaughter at a
young age, valued by humans for their flesh (venison), and their
antlers. The velvet-covered antlers are harvested from young bull elk,
just as it calcifies and becomes hard like bone; a mature bull will
produce 20 pounds or more [of velvet] annually. All the animals are
killed while still young, as it is financially untenable to allow them
to live their full 15-20 year lifespan in captivity behind wire fencing.
A rudimentary
Facebook page for the targeted facility displays the photo below,
along with others.
The communique reads in full:
On the night of August 29th, a small band of animal
liberationists crept quietly onto the property of Damascus Elk Farm
located at 23255 SE Highway 212 in Clackamas, OR. This farm raises
dozens of Roosevelt Elk for commercial slaughter. Once we made it to
the elk pens, wire cutters were used to successfully remove a large
section of fencing from one of the pens. Unfortunately due to a
disturbance, we had to cut our action short and we were unable to
open the remaining pens. The total number of animals (if any) that
got away is unknown, but the intent of our action should be made
perfectly clear: to prevent directly the violence that is inherent
to animal agriculture and to liberate sentient animal back into
their native habitat.
Across the country there are thousands
of elk and deer being held captive on farms, waiting to be liberated
back into the wild. These acts of liberation are generally low risk
and can directly save the lives of animals. Elk and deer farms have
little to no security and the small size of the industry makes these
farms particularly vulnerable to sabotage.
With this act we
attempted to remove the last barrier between these wild creatures
and their new, free lives. Link by link, these barriers will be
dismantled in our society, to create a new ethic of freedom and
accountability. Assist us in the struggle for liberation, or stand
on the wrong side of history.
For all those imprisoned.
-Animal Liberation Front
The
Roosevelt elk (
Cervus
canadensis roosevelti), also known as
Olympic elk, is the
largest of the four surviving subspecies of
elk in North America.
They live in the
rain forests
of the Pacific Northwest and were introduced to Alaska's Afognak and
Raspberry islands in 1928. Elk not imprisoned live in same-sex groups
and may wander many miles daily.
The
Animal Liberation Front
(
ALF) is part of an international, underground
leaderless resistance that engages in illegal
direct action in pursuit of
animal liberation. Activists remove animals from laboratories and
farms, destroy facilities, arrange safe houses and veterinary care, and
inflict economic sabotage against those who abuse animals for profit.
Active in over 40 countries, ALF cells operate clandestinely, consisting
of small groups of comrades and sometimes just one person, which makes
the movement difficult for the authorities to monitor. That is why the
ALF cannot be smashed, it cannot be effectively infiltrated, it cannot
be stopped. You, each and every one of you: you are the ALF!
