Protest at treatment of pigs

[eve]

Animal activists raided a piggery at Gin Gin in Western Australia yesterday as part of a national protest against the treatment of pigs. The group, Animal Rights Advocates, broke into the piggery and called on police to charge the owners, claiming the pigs are confined in pens that breach the industry's code of conduct.

Both police and the RSPCA have chosen not to prosecute, but John Lamont, from Australian Pork Limited, says the action is concerning. He said that "a lot of these groups present inaccurate and misleading information and portray that as being representative of the industry's practice. That is certainly not the case. The industry is very proactive from the animals' point of view and is currently involved in a review of the model code of practice for pigs to try and determine the best scientific outcomes to try and guarantee animal welfare in this country."
Yeah right!

[gertvegan]

Man wants to live like pig

29nov04, www.heraldsun.news.com.au

AN animal rights activist is seeking a piggery owner who will let him live in a pig stall in an attempt to bring attention to piggery conditions.

Ralph Hahnheuser, from Animal Liberation of South Australia, has challenged commercial piggeries to put him in a sow stall for three weeks.
During that time, Mr Hahnheuser expects that, like many pigs in the cramped pens, he will suffer pressure sores and pneumonia.

"But I'll be fortunate in that I'll be monitored routinely and if things become completely unbearable, I will be able to pull out of it," Mr Hahnheuser said.

"The best a pig can hope for is a bullet in the head." Mr Hahnheuser said sow stalls are two metres long by 60 cm wide, giving pigs no room to turn around.

No bedding covers the often wet and filthy concrete floor, with 65 per cent of pigs kept in the stalls going lame and unable to stand up, he said.

Mr Hahnheuser hoped living in a pen would draw attention to the plight of pigs but said it could have serious repercussions on his health and he could be hospitalised during the stunt.

"This is not something that should be done willy-nilly," he said.

"The point of this is just to show what condition the pigs are kept in.

"To give them no straw, no bedding, no nothing is totally reprehensible and there's no excuse for it."

He said he was having difficulty finding a piggery that would agree to his challenge.

Mr Hahnheuser is currently facing contamination of goods charges after he allegedly fed ham to a shipment of sheep bound for halal-conscious Muslim markets.

Almost 2,000 sheep had to be slaughtered and a shipment of 73,000 animals to Kuwait was delayed for two weeks following the discovery of ham in a sheep feedlot at Portland, in Victoria's south-west, last November.

[Geoff]

Dear Friends,

This week has seen Animals Australia launch its largest initiative ever - a unique campaign and website - savebabe.com

With the tremendous support of popular celebrities, Jackie O', Suzie Wilks, Rebecca Gibney and Jessica Napier, savebabe.com will highlight the tragic lives of female pigs in intensive piggeries in Australia and encourage shoppers to create much needed change by not purchasing intensively farmed ham, bacon and pork. Currently the majority of Australians are unaware of the conditions that hundreds of thousands of these intelligent, social and affectionate animals endure in factory farms in Australia.

Jackie, Suzie, Rebecca and Jessica have all made impassioned pleas on savebabe.com on behalf of these animals.

And with the launch of savebabe.com, it is also with great pleasure that I introduce you to its beautiful ambassador piglet 'Bella'. Bella with carer, leading animal behaviouralist Sharon Holden, will be making public appearances to allow people to meet a representative of this unique species. Together with our celebrity supporters, they will be spreading the message as broadly as possible that these animals desperately need us to care about them and make informed and compassionate choices.

Bella has already been winning hearts over. Earlier this week Jackie O' and Bella were photographed for a special Christmas edition of New Idea magazine and Jackie and Bella will also be appearing in an article for the Sunday Telegraph in Sydney next Sunday. As Bella travels from state to state, we will be seeking media opportunities wherever possible to further highlight her 'mission'.

And further wonderful news is that Hollywood actor, James Cromwell, who was nominated for an Academy award for his portrayal of 'Farmer Hoggett' in the movie 'Babe' has also given Animals Australia and savebabe.comhis full support. James will be flying to Australia in late December making public appearances with Bella to assist the campaign.

Our New South Wales supporters have a wonderful opportunity to meet James Cromwell, piglet Bella, former 'McLeods Daughter's star Napier and actor Marshall Napier ('Harry Ryan' on 'McLeod's Daughters') at a fundraising lunch for the savebabe.com campaign on Sunday 19th December at Mosman. Please contact us asap on 1800 888 584 or at enquiries@animalsaustralia.org for further details. We would love to see you there!

The launch of savebabe.com has been timed for the lead up to Christmas knowing that this is a time when messages abound of peace and goodwill to all - yet the reality for animals, is one of increased suffering. It is also a time when many consumers purchase Christmas hams, completely unaware that they are supporting an industry that is responsible for immense suffering.

Spreading the message of savebabe.com as far and wide as possible is the key to creating change for this unique species. Billboards and advertisements will appear throughout December. We have also produced A5 flyers with a beautiful photograph of the savebabe piglet on the front and information about the issue on the back for consumers. These can be handed out to friends, family, colleagues or to shoppers outside supermarkets. We have also produce savebabe.com stickers, badges, posters and T shirts. All can be obtained through calling our office on 1800 888 584 or by email at enquiries@animalsaustralia.org.

Importantly, please encourage everyone you know to visitwww.savebabe.com to learn about this campaign and to read the pleas of our celebrity supporters.

Sincere thanks to all of our supporters for enabling us to launch this campaign. Together we can work to ensure that savebabe.com provides much needed hope for Bella and her kind in Australia.

For the animals,
Glenys

Executive Director
Animals Australia