Butterball workers charged with animal cruelty, vet tipped them off

[Nagishkaw 510]

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/butterball-workers-charged-with-animal-cruelty-vet-tipped-them-off

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - A top North Carolina state veterinarian was charged on Wednesday with tipping off poultry producer Butterball to alleged animal abuse before police searched a company turkey farm.

Authorities on Wednesday filed two misdemeanor charges against Dr. Sarah Mason, a veterinarian who serves as director of poultry health programs in the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services' veterinary division.

She is accused of telling a Butterball staff veterinarian that an animal protection group had turned over to authorities an undercover video depicting the abuse of turkeys at a company facility, according to the agriculture department.

Department officials said Mason contacted the company's employee on December 23, the same day law enforcement officials had informed the agriculture department about an animal cruelty investigation into a Butterball turkey farm in Shannon, North Carolina.

The investigation began after the nonprofit Mercy For Animals provided law enforcement with secretly recorded video footage that showed live turkeys being kicked, thrown, dragged by the neck and wings and hit with some sort of stick or bar.

Butterball, headquartered in Garner, N.C., is the largest producer of turkey products in the United States, according to the company's website.

In a statement on Wednesday, the company said five former or current employees had been charged with animal cruelty as a result of the investigation.

The current employees facing charges were suspended pending final disciplinary action, the company said.

"Animal care and well-being are central to who Butterball is as a company, and we are committed to the care and well-being of our turkey flocks," the company said.

Law enforcement officials learned that word of their investigation had leaked to Butterball before a search warrant was executed at the facility on December 29. Mason admitted to being the source of the leak, the agriculture department said.

After being charged with obstruction on Wednesday, she immediately pleaded guilty and was placed on probation for 12 months, Hoke County District Attorney Kristy Newton said in a statement.

On Monday, Mason began a two-week, unpaid suspension ordered by the agriculture department after its own internal investigation into her actions, spokesman Brian Long said. She also must attend ethics courses and meet monthly with her supervisor to review future industry contacts.

Her attorney declined to comment on Wednesday. In a statement issued last month, Mason said she called the Butterball veterinarian because he was a longtime friend, and she wanted to stop any potential animal abuse.

Mason has been employed with the department since 2006 and has no prior disciplinary problems, Long said. He said she had no knowledge of the search warrant plans and didn't pass along any such information to Butterball.

"Her motivation was not to tip off a company but to alert a friend to possible abuse going on," Long said. "It was sort of a case of compassion overriding common sense."

AND....

Animal cruelty claims hit Sydney abattoir

Watch Video :

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/animals/animal-cruelty-claims-hit-sydney-abattoir-20120209-1rt7v.html

Slaughtering has been halted at a Sydney abattoir after video footage of animal cruelty.

The NSW food authority said in a statement today that it had seen disturbing video footage of what it described as "gross animal mistreatment".

"The video shows the slaughter of sheep, cattle, goats and pigs that allegedly breaches the Food Regulation 2010 and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979," it said.

An investigation involving the RSPCA is under way, it said.

A spokeswoman for the NSW food authority said it received the video, taken at Hawkesbury Valley Meat Processors at Wilberforce, in Sydney's west, yesterday.

"The video shows one of the staff members at the abattoir hitting a pig and there's a cattle prod being used on cattle," she told AAP.

"We've gone in and taken their stamps, which means they can't slaughter any more animals, and then there will be an investigation into their processes."

She said the operation employed about 20 people and did halal and non-halal slaughter.

A spokeswoman for the abattoir confirmed it was under investigation but declined to comment further.

The video was provided to the food authority by the ABC, the spokeswoman said.

The closure of the Sydney abattoir comes after videos showing the mistreatment of cattle in Indonesia halted live animal sales last year.

Edited February 18, 2012 by Nagishkaw

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Cinco getting angry!!!!!!

[Nagishkaw 510]

Cinco getting angry!!!!!!

I was driving next to a semi hauling pigs on the e-way yesterday. And I couldn't do anything about it, to free the pigs, to save them from their fate. You talk about getting angry.. Just knowing what cruelty happens globally every single day in remote places we don't hear about.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

And BY used to brag about how much better animals were treated in Australia.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

And BY used to brag about how much better animals were treated in Australia.

I'll bet they get birthday wishes on their special day...

Edited February 18, 2012 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[X Factor 1,112]

There must be balance when it comes to animal care. Being extreme in either case is not good.

[Ban Hammer 13,335]

there's a cattle prod being used on cattle

that's what i thought they were for

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

that's what i thought they were for

Psst....Handcuffs and a ball gag.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

And BY used to brag about how much better animals were treated in Australia.

This is ONE story. There might be more but there's no need to generalise an entire country because of one story.

I will also point out in the US story it "showed live turkeys being kicked, thrown, dragged by the neck and wings and hit with some sort of stick or bar". The Australian story "shows one of the staff members at the abattoir hitting a pig and there's a cattle prod being used on cattle". Hardly the same thing.

that's what i thought they were for

They are but it's illegal in Australia because it's considered cruel and unnecessary.

Edited February 18, 2012 by Vanessa&Tony

[SuperDuper! 230]

And BY used to brag about how much better animals were treated in Australia.

You really miss the BY. Your references to him keep his spirit alive here. I miss his energy, too. At least he was not nagging and boring and livened the forums up, and increased the ad click revenue, too...

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

This is ONE story. There might be more but there's no need to generalise an entire country because of one story.

I will also point out in the US story it "showed live turkeys being kicked, thrown, dragged by the neck and wings and hit with some sort of stick or bar". The Australian story "shows one of the staff members at the abattoir hitting a pig and there's a cattle prod being used on cattle". Hardly the same thing.

They are but it's illegal in Australia because it's considered cruel and unnecessary.

Wrong!!!!!! !I've seen Mad Max, Australia is a post-apocalyptic wasteland that's ruled by a 6'8" weightlifter who wears a goalie mask and calls himself humungus. Nice try!!!!!!

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Wrong!!!!!! !I've seen Mad Max, Australia is a post-apocalyptic wasteland that's ruled by a 6'8" weightlifter who wears a goalie mask and calls himself humungus. Nice try!!!!!!

Damn you caught me.. TV ruins all the illusions... don't forget the drop bears though.. dangerous creatures should never be underestimated!

[SuperDuper! 230]

Damn you caught me.. TV ruins all the illusions... don't forget the drop bears though.. dangerous creatures should never be underestimated!

Thatz for sure, especially in Australia, where ya might accidentally get killed!

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Thatz for sure, especially in Australia, where ya might accidentally get killed!

Lol I've never seen that before... STOLEN!

[luckytxn 2,264]

I was driving next to a semi hauling pigs on the e-way yesterday. And I couldn't do anything about it, to free the pigs, to save them from their fate. You talk about getting angry.. Just knowing what cruelty happens globally every single day in remote places we don't hear about.

Just curious. What were you going to do once you freed them.