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MEDIA RELEASE: Disease and Suffering Revealed at Coles and Woolworths ‘Free Range’ Chicken Supplier

MEDIA RELEASE: Disease and Suffering Revealed at Coles and Woolworths ‘Free Range’ Chicken Supplier

CONTACT:

Fleur Dawes, fleur@idausa.org, +1 415 448 0072

Nadia Schilling, nadia@idausa.org, +61 0469 545 424

 

VIDEO AND IMAGES:

https://youtu.be/XxR_EsW-HOU?play

http://bit.ly/MtBarkerCruelty

 

Perth, Australia (June 21, 2017) – In Defense of Animals and Australia's most watched news service, Seven News, have exposed shocking conditions inside a free-range chicken farm that supplies meat to Australia's biggest supermarkets. Footage taken at a Mt Barker Chicken farm in Perth reveals chickens cannibalizing rotting bodies, as well as diseased, dead and dying animals at the RSPCA-approved meat producer.

“Coles, Woolworths and Health Freak Cafe customers will be shocked and sickened by these disgusting and cruel horrors,“ said Dr. Marilyn Kroplick, President of In Defense of Animals.” Australians are being fed a myth, there is nothing humane about free range chicken. We demand that live cameras be installed in chicken farms so that people can see for themselves whether the animals are free from hunger, thirst, discomfort, pain or distress.”

In Defense of Animals’ footage reveals rotting carcasses being cannibalized by chickens, posing a serious health risk to people who eat their meat. Three-week old chicks were seen suffering from inflamed ammonia-burned skin, respiratory difficulties, and some could not walk or stand. Two chickens were rescued from the cruel conditions and are being cared for at a secure location.

The footage evidences two breaches of West Australia’s codes of practice for poultry, yet shockingly, these codes are merely guidelines. Australia is one of the very few developed countries that has no laws to protect farmed animals. Newly developed national animal welfare standards will be released later this year, but non-compliance will still not constitute a legal offense.

In Defense of Animals’ evidence reveals Mt Barker Chicken is misleading consumers with packaging that claims animals in its care are “free from hunger, thirst, discomfort, pain or distress”. Australia lacks a legally-binding definition of free-range meat, leaving producers and retailers free to make up their own claims.

Countless investigations have confirmed that self-imposed standards and codes of practice are failing animals and consumers.

Dr. Kroplick called on Australians to make a difference for animals, “Please leave suffering off your plate, and sign our petition to install a live video feed at Mt Barker Chicken.”

Discover the full investigative findings and sign the petition to Mt Barker here: www.idausa.org/MtBarkerMisery

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In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection organization with over 250,000 supporters and a 30-year history of fighting for animals, people and the environment through education, campaigns, and hands-on rescue facilities in India, Africa, and rural Mississippi.

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