Sensationalist headlines about American chlorinated chicken would have us believe that British birds live a life of luxury, but these harrowing scenes reveal the truth.
STEVEN RAE: ‘Disturbing footage shows chickens on farms which supply Nando’s, Asda and Lidl being kicked and killed in squalid conditions. Some of the birds collapsed under the weight of their unnaturally large bodies and were left unable to stand, and in some cases, breathe. Others were kicked and had their necks snapped by workers on farms in England.
The farms in Northamptonshire are certified by Red Tractor, which claims that “animal health and welfare is at the heart” of its standards. However, in footage released by charity Animal Equality, some of the animals could be seen struggling to breathe and walk at just seven days old, with many flapping frantically in a desperate attempt to lift themselves up.
Dead birds were left to rot among the living, leading to cannibalism on at least one farm. Dying birds were also seen to be thrown onto a pile and left to suffer for hours as workers cleared the shed for slaughter. Harrowing images show staff snapping birds’ necks and leaving them to convulse and die.
The charity’s UK director said that the footage showed that “chickens on British farms suffer every minute of their lives”. The organisation said their accelerated growth causes heart and breathing problems, as well as issues with their joints, as their under-developed bodies try and keep up with the increased mass. The footage was filmed at Helmden, Evenley and Pimlico farms which all rear chickens for Avara Foods – one of the UK’s largest chicken companies, which supplies major outlets including Nando’s, Lidl and Asda.
The charity’s investigators made a number of visits to the sites between January and March this year, after it received a tip-off about poor conditions… Animal Equality’s UK Director, Dr Toni Vernelli, said: “Sensationalist headlines about American chlorinated chicken would have us believe that British birds live a life of luxury, but these harrowing scenes reveal the truth”.’ SOURCE…
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