New York: It's time to give farm animals room to stretch their limbs! (Jan. 8, 2009)
Farm animals all across the country are subjected to intensive confinement and crowded together so tightly that they can barely move. A08163, a bill introduced by Assemblymember Linda Rosenthal, would require that calves raised for veal, breeding pigs and egg-laying hens in New York be given the ability to stretch their limbs, lie down comfortably and turn around. If passed, A08163 would put an end to the following confinement practices:
Gestation Crates
The majority of sows bred to provide piglets for the pork industry spend most of their lives inside gestation crates, 2-foot-wide metal enclosures that severely restrict the animals' movement and thwart their natural behaviors. Find out more about the plight of pigs on factory farms.
Battery Cages
Egg-laying hens are typically crowded together into tiny cages, where each bird is given an area smaller than an 8½-by-11-inch sheet of paper on which to live. The hens can barely move and cannot walk or even stretch their wings. Find out more about the plight of egg-laying hens in battery cages.
Veal Crates
Crated veal calves are normally confined inside 2-foot-wide enclosures for their entire lives. Usually chained by their necks to the front of their stalls, these animals cannot even turn around, stretch their limbs or lie down comfortably. Find out more about the plight of calves on veal farms.
You Can Help:
1. Industrial farm lobbyists are going to do their best to see that this reform doesn’t pass. Contact your state assembly member today and ask him or her to co-sponsor this legislation! Send a quick and easy e-mail. Remember to personalize the letter with your own words to make it more effective.
2. After you send your e-mail and identify your state representative, follow up with a phone call stating your support for A08163 and asking your legislator to co-sponsor it. Get more tips on how to communicate with your representative.
3. When you contact your legislators, share any feedback you get from them so that we can lobby most effectively for the animals.
4. Distribute literature in support of this bill. Order copies of our “Say NO to Factory Farming in NY” leaflet and distribute these in your area to raise awareness about A08163. Learn more about effective leafleting.
Help Protect Downed Animals of All Species
In 2009, President Obama announced a new rule that prevents downed cattle from being slaughtered for human food. While this was a step in the right direction, the USDA has no rules in place to protect downed pigs, sheep, goats, other farm animals. Please take a minute now to contact Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and urge him to extend this rule to include all downers.
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Gestation Crates
Battery Cages
Veal Crates
