Please enjoy this article from the latest issue of our magazine, PETA Global. To begin your subscription, become a PETA member today!
You care about animals. That’s why you wouldn’t dream of eating meat. But if you still eat eggs, yogurt, and cheese, perhaps you mistakenly think, “Well, animals aren’t killed for that.” Actually, they are! Insiders peel back the deadly illusion that keeps the suffering alive.
PETA Uncovers Walmart Egg Supplier’s Secrets
Hens used for eggs don’t have a retirement home to go to after they’re “spent.” After being tipped off by whistleblowers, PETA went undercover at an Ohio farm whose eggs are sold at Walmart under its Great Value brand. Trillium Farm Holdings keeps nearly 2 million hens on that farm, and in one shed alone, PETA’s investigator found hundreds of dead birds who had become trapped in the wire flooring of the filthy, severely crowded cages. Their bodies had been left to rot among the surviving birds, who had no choice but to stand on top of them.
The hens were denied everything that was important to them, and they certainly weren’t given a quick, painless death. PETA’s investigator found a severely injured bird a worker had unsuccessfully attempted to kill, languishing in a trash can. Despite immediately notifying the supervisor, the investigator came back two days later and found the same hen still suffering. The investigator also found a hen stuck between a trough and a conveyor belt and was able to free her, but a worker grabbed the bird and attempted to kill her by twisting and pulling on her head over and over again before finally dropping her, still alive, on the floor. Another worker ripped the head off a live hen.
Workers stuffed 100,000 “spent” hens into metal boxes and gassed them with carbon dioxide – a painful death. The investigator could hear the chickens crying out and throwing themselves against the walls of the boxes.
Worker Blows the Whistle on Dairy Farm Atrocities
Cows exploited for their milk don’t go to a retirement home, either. They get kicked down a slaughter ramp after a life of hardship. At Ferme Ste-Sophie, a Canadian dairy farm, a whistleblower captured truly grim video footage. One calf was so sick that she trembled uncontrollably. A downed cow reportedly lay trapped in a quicksand-like pit of feces for two days before being shot to death.
The whistleblower reported that three workers kicked a cow while she was giving birth, and another worker repeatedly struck a lame cow. One cow couldn’t bear any weight on her infected hoof but was forced to stand for daily milking. Another cow reportedly bled profusely for days after giving birth – until the farm owner eventually shot her in the head. Filthy conditions caused calves to become sick, with as many as 12 afflicted calves shot in just one day – and then left to rot.
Living, Feeling Beings – Not Omelets or Pizza Topping
Every chicken and cow is someone who deserves respect and compassion. Yet investigations around the globe, including a recent PETA Australia egg farm exposé, reveal rampant abuse in the egg and dairy industries.
Take Action Now
PETA has held protests at Walmart stores across North America to encourage the retail giant to reconsider its ties with Trillium. Please join the call to action at PETA.org/WalmartEggCruelty. Save the lives of cows and chickens by refusing to buy dairy or eggs, in addition to shunning meat. Choose vegan foods, bake with egg replacers, and explore vegan cookbooks. Click here for recipes, shopping tips, vegan-friendly restaurants, and more.
