Millions of farm animals, including about 100,000 pigs and hogs, died in North Carolina as a result of Floyd’s heavy rains.
MARK HAND: ‘More than 9 million hogs and a sizable poultry industry could be at risk in North Carolina if Hurricane Florence dumps a foot or two of rainfall… where a large number of industrial farms are concentrated… Unlike companion animals, which by law must be included in government evacuation plans during natural disasters, farm animals are afforded no legal protection…
Two years ago, Hurricane Matthew caused widespread damage and destruction to the Carolinas after making landfall in South Carolina. Up to 2 million chickens and turkeys and 5,000 hogs in North Carolina drowned in the 2016 storm. Hurricane Floyd was far more devastating as it dumped 24 inches of rain on the eastern part of North Carolina. Millions of farm animals, including about 100,000 pigs and hogs, died in North Carolina as a result of Floyd’s heavy rains…
“It’s hard to think of a worse life than how chickens, pigs, turkeys, and other farmed animals are treated on factory farms,” Kenny Torrella, communications director at Mercy for Animals, told ThinkProgress. “Either way, whether they live out the rest of the short lives inside these factory farms, or if they drown to death inside their cages or inside the factory farms, they suffer horribly.”
In past hurricanes in North Carolina, millions of farm animals were left behind and drowned to death. “That’s because factory farmers view and treat these animals like they are mere meat-producing machines,” Torrella said. “The truth is that chickens, pigs, and turkeys are just as worthy of protection as the cats and dogs that we know and love and share our homes with”.’ SOURCE…
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