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April 1, 2024
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Nicole Perreira 202-483-7382
Craig, Colo. – Following a tense trend of violations at Fitch Ranch Artisan Meat Corporate in Craig—e.g., a employee dragged a disabled pig through her ears and staff have time and again surprised or electrocuted animals—PETA rushed a letter lately to fourteenth Judicial District Lawyer Matt Karzen urging him to research and record suitable legal fees towards the ones accountable.
In an incident on February 21 that ended in a brief suspension understand from the U.S. Division of Agriculture, a federal inspector reportedly witnessed a employee grabbing a disabled pig through her ears and dragging her off a trailer, inflicting her to cry out and fall from the trailer onto a concrete flooring. As soon as the pig used to be mendacity at the flooring, the employee grabbed her through the ears once more and dragged her on her abdomen about 5 ft towards an alleyway, the place she cried out and were given right into a “semi sitting place” whilst she persevered to be dragged.
Moreover, remaining yr, slaughterhouse staff at Fitch Ranch Artisan Meat Corporate botched surprising makes an attempt on six other animals—a lamb, a cow, and two steers who have been time and again shot within the head and two pigs who have been time and again electrocuted. One of the vital pigs, who used to be electrocuted close to the shoulder blades as an alternative of at the head, cried out, ran round, and attempted to climb out of the “stun field” ahead of some other worker in any case rendered the animal subconscious.
“Those violations display that Fitch Ranch Artisan Meat Corporate both can’t or gained’t agree to federal legislation designed to forestall the extended struggling of animals,” says PETA Vice President of Proof Research Daniel Paden. “PETA is asking for a legal investigation on behalf of those animals and reminds everybody that the one humane meal is a vegan one.”
PETA is pursuing fees underneath state legislation as a result of federal officers haven’t prosecuted any inspected slaughterhouses for acts of abuse since no less than 2007.
PETA—whose motto reads, partially, that “animals aren’t ours to consume”—issues out that Each and every Animal Is Somebody and provides loose Empathy Kits for individuals who desire a lesson in kindness. For more info, please talk over with PETA.org or apply the crowd on X, Fb, or Instagram.
PETA’s letter to Karzen follows.
April 1, 2024
The Honorable Matt Karzen
14th Judicial District Lawyer
Pricey Mr. Karzen:
I am hoping this letter unearths you smartly. I’d love to request that your place of job (and the right kind native law-enforcement company, as you deem suitable) examine and record appropriate legal fees towards Fitch Ranch Artisan Meat Corporate and the employees chargeable for dragging a disabled pig through the ears off of a trailer and around the facility on February 21—and time and again capturing or electrocuting six animals—at its slaughterhouse situated at 383 E. First St. outdoor Craig. The U.S. Division of Agriculture’s Meals Protection and Inspection Carrier (FSIS) documented the newest incident within the hooked up document, which states the next:
Whilst the status quo used to be unloading a lame marketplace swine from a farm animals trailer on the secondary front into the alleyway, I seen an status quo worker take hold of the [conscious pig] through [her] ears and drag the animal on [her] abdominal off of the trailer. The swine started vocalizing when [she] used to be grabbed through the ears. The … animal fell from the trailer to the concrete flooring … roughly 10 inches. As soon as the [pig] used to be out of the trailer and laying at the flooring, the … worker then grabbed the swine through [her] ears once more and persevered to pull the animal on [her] abdominal roughly 5 ft in opposition to the alleyway and the swine sat up right into a semi sitting place for about 3 ft whilst nonetheless being dragged through [the] ears. The swine used to be vocalizing whilst being dragged.
Moreover, FSIS issued this facility a “Letter of Worry” remaining yr for 6 violations of federal legislation that brought about animals to undergo extended, painful deaths:
- On June 28, 2023, a pig used to be electrocuted, remained aware, and cried out after electric tongs slipped off her ears.
- On June 26, a steer persevered status, taking a look round, crying out, and bleeding after he used to be shot within the head.
- On June 21, a employee shot a lamb once more after the primary shot did not stun the animal.
- On June 20, a cow persevered to face and go searching after being shot within the head.
- On June 14, a employee electrocuted a pig close to the shoulder blades as an alternative of the pinnacle. The pig cried out, ran round, and attempted to climb out of the “stun field” ahead of some other worker in any case rendered the animal subconscious.
- On March 1, a steer remained aware after he used to be shot within the head.
Additional information about a few of these incidents will also be discovered right here.
This behavior seems to violate C.R.S.A. § 18-9-202. Importantly, FSIS’ movements lift no legal or civil consequences and don’t preempt legal legal responsibility underneath state legislation for slaughterhouse staff who perpetrate acts of cruelty to animals. For the reason that FSIS has now not initiated a legal prosecution of an authorized slaughterhouse for inhumane dealing with since no less than 2007, fees underneath state legislation are those sufferers’ handiest likelihood at a measure of justice.
Please tell us if we will be able to do anything else to help you. Thanks on your attention and for the tricky paintings that you just do.
Sincerely,
Colin Henstock
Investigations Undertaking Supervisor