The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board voted 6-5 last week to permit the completely inhumane confinement of veal calves in tiny crates that the calves aren’t even able to turn around in. This is in a “clear violation of an agreement reached last June between humane groups and agribusiness,” Farm Sanctuary reports.
Gene Baur, president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, has responded:
Monday’s vote by the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board (OLCSB) to allow veal calves to be confined in crates so tightly that they can’t even turn around for most of their lives violates the widely publicized agreement that was reached last June between agribusiness interests, including the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, and the humane community to avoid a ballot initiative that would ban the inhumane confinement of animals in veal crates, gestation crates and battery cages across the state. By endorsing veal crates, the OLCSB has demonstrated an interest in upholding the status quo at the expense of improving animal welfare. We urge the OLCSB to reverse its vote and to act in accordance with June’s compromise agreement. Otherwise, the humane community will have no option other than to move forward with the initiative.
Calves Suffering Physically and Psychologically
Baur went on to note that calves, like all animals, have feelings, and beyond the physical discomfort imposed on these calves from living in such crates, keeping them in such a way is also emotionally abusive.
“Calves in veal crates are so severely confined that they cannot walk, turn around or engage in basic natural behaviors, and they experience both physical and psychological disorders,” Baur said.
Citizens Support Animal Welfare Initiatives
Citizens have shown, when educated on such matters and given the right to changes the conditions of these animals, they will improve the living conditions of farm animals like these calves. Baur is confident that taking this initiative to the people will result in legislative changes these farmers will actually have to obey.
“Citizens are appalled to learn about factory farming cruelty, and when they’ve had the opportunity to vote on initiatives that require animals to have at least enough space to turn around, they have overwhelmingly supported these measures. We expect the same result in Ohio,” Baur stated.
“With growing awareness and opposition to factory farming, laws are finally changing to more accurately reflect societal values. Direct democracy through citizens’ initiatives has played an important role in bringing about critical humane reforms.”
Agribusiness has controlled the legislative process for decades and kept farm animals living in completely inhumane, abhorrent conditions. Farm animals are actually “excluded from the Federal Animal Welfare Act and from many state anti-cruelty laws.” (Note the first figure in the video above: “98% of all animals abused and kills are those we eat.”) However, groups like Farm Sanctuary and clear-minded citizens who recognize that farm animals should not be treated worse than their own pets (or, at least, not a ton worse..) are challenging the system and making considerable changes to it. Kudos to these wonderful, compassionate individuals and organizations.
Related Stories:
- Unprecedented Growth in Factory Farming in U.S.
- Speaking Out Against Factory Farms: Not in my Cuppa
- Factory Farms – The Impact on Humans and the Environment
- Help End Farm Animal Abuse
Photo Credits: Farm Sanctuary via flickr; Farm Sanctuary via flickr; Farm Sanctuary.