Early last year, animal welfare advocates discovered nearly 50,000 hens abandoned on a factory egg farm in Turlock, California, after the owner left them to suffer without food for weeks. Last week, prosecutors filed criminal charges against two poultry workers for cruelty to animals. The workers each face a three-year jail sentence and over $20,000 in fines.
"Two buildings the length of football fields were crammed full of dead and dying egg-laying hens," KTVU.com reports. The vast majority of the birds on this factory farm either starved to death or had to be euthanized. But Animal Place, a farmed animal sanctuary, was able to rescue over 4,000 birds:
As horrifying as this case of neglect is, it is not isolated. Mercy For Animals investigations at egg suppliers throughout the country have revealed a culture of cruelty and neglect, including extreme confinement, and mutilations without the use of painkillers.
Fortunately, we can end our support of an industry that treats intelligent and social beings as disposable commodities. Please visit ChooseVeg.com to find delicious, egg-free recipes and tips on cooking without eggs.
