Over Presidents’ Day weekend, In Defense of Animals, Northern California Animal Advocacy Coalition, and United Poultry Concerns co-sponsored the Animal Compassion Tour (ACT). ACT was designed to raise awareness by opening people’s eyes and hearts to the cruelties behind the meat, dairy, and egg industries. Many people are unaware of the tremendous suffering of farmed animals.

Twenty-one dedicated animal advocates piled into two vans for this arduous two-day journey. The tour made stops at dairy farms, feed lots, and egg farms from Sacramento to Los Angeles. Cows were seen wading through knee-deep mud and feces at “certified humane” dairy farms. Baby calves crammed into veal crates were crying out for their mothers. Huge windowless sheds housing hundreds of hens were documented at a “humane” egg farm.

(Photo by Alicia Smiley)