Imagine being hung upside down, shocked into paralysis, having your throat cut, then drowned in hot water...while you’re conscious. That’s the stuff of nightmares, and it’s the tragic reality for billions of birds each year. These animals have virtually no protection from the worst slaughter abuses.
The video above exposes abuse of calves sent to slaughter, yet nearly all animals killed for food in the U.S. are chickens and turkeys—more than nine billion each year. They're shackled upside down, paralyzed by electrified water and dragged over mechanical throat-cutting blades ... all while conscious. Millions of birds each year miss the blades and drown in tanks of scalding water.
This occurs because the U.S. Department of Agriculture exempts birds from its enforcement of the Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, which requires that farm animals be insensible to pain before they're shackled and killed. The HSUS is working with retailers to help move companies that slaughter birds toward a less cruel system.
An Inhumane End
The electrical stunning system, globally used to kill chickens, is increasingly coming under scrutiny as research suggests that it can be both inhumane and ineffective.
Learn MoreNews & Events
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May 16, 2013
Congressional Votes on Farm Bill Bring Good News, Bad News for Animals
The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, in taking up the Farm Bill yesterday, approved an amendment to crackdown on spectators at animal fighting ventures, but also approved a destructive, constitutionally questionable amendment to strip states of their right to protect farm animals and other animals from exploitation and abuse.
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May 13, 2013
Tenn. Governor Haslam Vetoes Anti-Whistleblower Bill
Gov. Bill Haslam vetoed the anti-whistleblower “ag-gag” bill, SB 1248/HB 1191, after hearing from thousands of Tennesseans urging the veto and a report deeming the bill constitutionally suspect by the Tennessee Attorney General.
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May 3, 2013
Bill to Criminalize Animal Cruelty Whistlblowers Reaches Governor’s Desk, Continues to Draw Criticism
As the anti-whistleblower “ag-gag” bill SB1248 was finally transmitted to Gov. Bill Haslam for his decision – two weeks after being passed by the legislature – more than 300 Tennessee clergy joined First Amendment and animal welfare groups urging a veto
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May 1, 2013
Undercover Factory Farm Exposé Nets Prestigious Webby Awards
A video from an undercover investigation of a pig factory farm earned both a 2013 Webby People's Voice Award and a Webby Winner Award.
Our Victories
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May 16, 2013
Congressional Votes on Farm Bill Bring Good News, Bad News for Animals
The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, in taking up the Farm Bill yesterday, approved an amendment to crackdown on spectators at animal fighting ventures, but also approved a destructive, constitutionally questionable amendment to strip states of their right to protect farm animals and other animals from exploitation and abuse.
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May 13, 2013
New Jersey Legislature Overwhelmingly Passes Bill to Protect Pigs
The New Jersey legislature has voted by landslide margins to ban the extreme confinement of breeding pigs in crates so small, they prevent the animals from even turning around for nearly their entire lives. The vote earned applause from The Humane Society of the United States, Farm Sanctuary, Mercy For Animals and the ASPCA.
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May 13, 2013
Tenn. Governor Haslam Vetoes Anti-Whistleblower Bill
Gov. Bill Haslam vetoed the anti-whistleblower “ag-gag” bill, SB 1248/HB 1191, after hearing from thousands of Tennesseans urging the veto and a report deeming the bill constitutionally suspect by the Tennessee Attorney General.
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May 3, 2013
Timeline of Major Farm Animal Protection Advancements
Get a snapshot of The HSUS's advancements for farm animals over the last decade.
