Salmonella deaths
Announcement posted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Australia 27 Mar 2019
Dear Editor,
Hundreds of thousands of hens are expected to be killed following the salmonella food poisoning event that saw a nationwide recall of eggs last week. What most people don’t realise is that many of these smart, sociable birds will have led horrendous lives in egg production factories, and had they not been killed now, they would have been gassed or transported long distances to be turned into dog and cat food after just 72 weeks of life. Hens have a natural lifespan of up to 12 years, but in the egg industry they are slaughtered while still really just adolescents after they’re no longer deemed profitable.
The process of killing hens often involves injuries such as bone fractures due to time pressures and rough handling and the risks and difficulties of removing birds through narrow cage doors. Due to lack of exercise, birds in battery cages also have weaker bones and their legs or wings may snap.
Yes, let’s feel sorry for the hundreds of thousands of hens who will be slaughtered this week because their eggs cause food poisoning while remembering the16 million hens in Australia who will be just as mercilessly killed when their suffering no longer produces profitable eggs.
Ending such misery is easy, as well as much safer for your family – don’t eat eggs.
Mimi Bekhechi
Campaigns Consultant,
PETA Australia
PO Box 20308 World Square
Sydney, NSW, 2002
(08) 8556-5828
mimib@peta.org.au
Hundreds of thousands of hens are expected to be killed following the salmonella food poisoning event that saw a nationwide recall of eggs last week. What most people don’t realise is that many of these smart, sociable birds will have led horrendous lives in egg production factories, and had they not been killed now, they would have been gassed or transported long distances to be turned into dog and cat food after just 72 weeks of life. Hens have a natural lifespan of up to 12 years, but in the egg industry they are slaughtered while still really just adolescents after they’re no longer deemed profitable.
The process of killing hens often involves injuries such as bone fractures due to time pressures and rough handling and the risks and difficulties of removing birds through narrow cage doors. Due to lack of exercise, birds in battery cages also have weaker bones and their legs or wings may snap.
Yes, let’s feel sorry for the hundreds of thousands of hens who will be slaughtered this week because their eggs cause food poisoning while remembering the16 million hens in Australia who will be just as mercilessly killed when their suffering no longer produces profitable eggs.
Ending such misery is easy, as well as much safer for your family – don’t eat eggs.
Mimi Bekhechi
Campaigns Consultant,
PETA Australia
PO Box 20308 World Square
Sydney, NSW, 2002
(08) 8556-5828
mimib@peta.org.au