Sydney Abbatoir Closed For Cruelty

[samoyedman]

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/covert-evidence-of-cruelty-halts-abattoir-20120209-1rx7w.html

Video link below.The RSPCA have started an investigation into this company.

It's hard to believe this could happen in our own back yard after last years events.

While it isn't as bad as what we saw in Indonesia, it is sad to see animals bludgeoned like this.

It makes you wonder how widespread practices like this are in our own country. Hopefully this is an aberration.

From what I have seen and read since last year it seems like there is no practical painless and humane way to slaughter animals.

http://video.dailytelegraph.com.au/2194540034/Animal-cruelty-closes-Sydney-abattoir

Edited February 9, 2012 by samoyedman

[k9angel]

That is just sickening.

Those poor poor animals, what a terrible death.

[raz]

It's hard to believe this could happen in our own back yard after last years events.

No it isnt. It's just easier to point the finger outside of our own backyard. When the threads were running here about Indonesia there were abbattoir workers on this forum who said it happens here but they were met with - Oh noesss it couldnt possibly. Much easier just to turn a blind eye and blame other people.

I dont know why abbattoirs here dont have surveillance cameras.

I wonder how many Indonesian Politicians are going to watch that footage today and call us hypocrites.

[~Anne~]

I think this latest evidence has made up my mind. I am going to give up meat. No more will I support these practices.

Lets stop kidding oursleves. This scene would be repeated in other abattoirs around the country. I am sickened by what I see happening to chooks, cattle and pigs.

The meat industry has only itself to blame.

I am not a crazy animal welfare activist, but just your everyday consumer who has had enough.

[Kirislin]

that's good that they've closed it. I wont be reading the article. Is there a particular reason you've put this thread here instead of the "in the news" cruelty section?

[Nekhbet]

I think this latest evidence has made up my mind. I am going to give up meat. No more will I support these practices.

Lets stop kidding oursleves. This scene would be repeated in other abattoirs around the country. I am sickened by what I see happening to chooks, cattle and pigs.

The meat industry has only itself to blame.

I am not a crazy animal welfare activist, but just your everyday consumer who has had enough.

This scene would also be repeatable in backyards and on farms all around the country, and not just to pigs and sheep.

People will still behave in that way whether you eat meat or not. Becoming a vegetarian won't stop the practices and change Australians attitudes towards animals at all. Really the only statement you would be making is to yourself.

[raz]

Is there a particular reason you've put this thread here instead of the "in the news" cruelty section?

I asked myself the same thing, Kirislin. He gets more of an audience here to start a controversial topic because hardly anyone goes into the cruelty news subforum.

[~Anne~]

I didn't say it would stop anything- I said I would no longer support the industry.

I don't support puppyfarmers either but I don't think I can close down the industryby not supporting it. Good grief. A bit of realism please.

The thought of eating pork from a pig that has been battered to death makes me ill. I don't care what you think about my decision.

[WoofnHoof]

Surveillance isn't going to solve the problem because there are a number of factors contributing to the problem.

The nature of the job means that not a lot of people want to do it, the ones that do come from varying backgrounds with varying levels of education, and depending on the facility there is often no ongoing education particularly with respect to animal welfare.

Add to that the fact that people (in general) want their cheap meat and prefer to think everything is just hunky dory at the abattoir, or just don't think about it at all.

How many times do you hear people say "I don't have a problem with eating meat, as long as it's killed humanely." how many of those people truly know how difficult it is to quickly kill a large healthy animal humanely? No method is 100% effective all the time so depending on where your meat came from a certain percentage of the meat you eat was not killed humanely.

I'm not a vegetarian, I wish I could be, maybe one day I will be but I'm just not there yet. In the meantime I try to support better welfare measures and more awareness of animal welfare issues because too many people just assume that everything is killed humanely because it's easier that way.

[Dame Aussie]

This is no surprise to me, I'm surprised more people aren't aware this stuff goes on. This is why I don't support the trade either.

[Nekhbet]

I didn't say it would stop anything- I said I would no longer support the industry.

I don't support puppyfarmers either but I don't think I can close down the industryby not supporting it. Good grief. A bit of realism please.

The thought of eating pork from a pig that has been battered to death makes me ill. I don't care what you think about my decision.

Because as soon as one video is released there is a plethora of people who suddenly convert to vegetarianism. This has been happening since before you were born and the whole time you were eating meat. I don't see how now suddenly it's really a statement of how fed up you are with animal welfare practices.

As for being a vegetarian ... what about eggs, fish and dairy. All of those industries have their own poor practices too. Vegetables ... what land did they clear and what poisons have they been spraying which has been killing the environment for years. Do your grains come from farmers who poison native wildlife?

Keep going like this until you starve to death. If people want to make a difference they need to support DPI, RSPCA and other welfare related groups in regularly checking establishments and doiung random spot checks at least 4-5 times a year. All abbatoirs and knackeries should have surveilance installed as a rule as far as I'm concerned, and not only should the staff member be charged but the entire company too for not keeping staff in check.

If you watch why that staff member hit the pig, it passed the stunning point and he obviously was not given anything else like a captive bolt to make sure.

[samoyedman]

Is there a particular reason you've put this thread here instead of the "in the news" cruelty section?

I asked myself the same thing, Kirislin. He gets more of an audience here to start a controversial topic because hardly anyone goes into the cruelty news subforum.

Good point. I should have but it didn't occur to me. I was still in bed half-asleep when I read it (ie. 5.50am).

Edited February 9, 2012 by samoyedman

[samoyedman]

I think this latest evidence has made up my mind. I am going to give up meat.

Good luck. I've tried and can't.

I feel so empty and hungry unless I eat some sort of animal flesh and I'm afraid subsitutes like tofu etc. just don't cut it.

[Ruffles]

Because as soon as one video is released there is a plethora of people who suddenly convert to vegetarianism. This has been happening since before you were born and the whole time you were eating meat. I don't see how now suddenly it's really a statement of how fed up you are with animal welfare practices.

As for being a vegetarian ... what about eggs, fish and dairy. All of those industries have their own poor practices too. Vegetables ... what land did they clear and what poisons have they been spraying which has been killing the environment for years. Do your grains come from farmers who poison native wildlife?

Keep going like this until you starve to death. If people want to make a difference they need to support DPI, RSPCA and other welfare related groups in regularly checking establishments and doiung random spot checks at least 4-5 times a year. All abbatoirs and knackeries should have surveilance installed as a rule as far as I'm concerned, and not only should the staff member be charged but the entire company too for not keeping staff in check.

If you watch why that staff member hit the pig, it passed the stunning point and he obviously was not given anything else like a captive bolt to make sure.

[raz]

Good point. I should have but it didn't occur to me. I was still in bed half-asleep when I read it (ie. 5.50am).

I think it's an important discussion and you wouldnt get enough traffic up in the cruelty subforum but Kirislin is highly sensitive to stuff like this as are others so I'm not sure how you'd get around it.

Woof, you say surveillance cameras wouldnt work. I disagree - I doubt that piglet would have been treated like that if the mongrel knew cameras were trained on him and he would suffer a huge fine, docked pay and/or sacking. I dont think it matters where abbattoir workers come from or what they're education level is when it comes to hitting them in the hip pocket.

[Nekhbet]

Good luck. I've tried and can't.

People shouldn't feel guilty eating. Period. Animal abusers should feel guilty for causing unnecessary harm, pain and anguish to another living being.

[~Anne~]

Before I was born? Really?

Hilarious stuff. You're assumptions are intriguing.

I find it fascinating that you are so verbal about what my choices are in life.

SamMan, I have been gradually winding down on my meat eating habits over many years. I have looked into and considered the idea of not eating meat for several years, not only from an animal abuse view, but also for the health benefits.

I have even followed a vegetarian FB page for some time which often lists recipes and nutritional facts.

Wish me luck anyway. As I said above, the mere thought of biting down into meat at the moment is making me feel ill so for now my chances of success seem higher.

Edited February 9, 2012 by ~Anne~

[~Anne~]

I can recall seeing a link for a website that listed legitimate cruelty free animal products, such as free range eggs, but can't recall where I saw it or what the site was called.

Does anyone know of it?

Edited February 9, 2012 by ~Anne~

[melzawelza]

Anne, I did the same after reading 'Eating Animals'. Didn't touch any meat for over a year. (did still eat seafood though).

I now eat meat as long as its free range. I figured in the end I was making more of a difference by still keeping my money in the industry but funneling it towards what I want them to do, rather than remove it completely.

That said, I only eat it maybe once or twice a week. Lots of veggie food.

Don't let anyone make you feel bad about your choices. You do what is right for you.

[Dame Aussie]

I can recall seeing a link for a website that listed legitimate cruelty free animal products, such as free range eggs, but can't recall where I saw it or what the site was called.

Does anyone know of it?

I don't know if thsi is what you were referring to Anne but this lists cruelty free products of all types:

http://www.choosecrueltyfree.org.au/

It's totally a choice and it's different for everyone. I haven't eaten meat in many years and I also avoid other animal products these days. It can be hard at first but you really do get used to it and you find so many more interesting foods to eat aswell!

Good luck, and dont beat yourself up if you make a mistake, everyone does it, noone's perfect, you just do the best you can.