New Zealand Open Rescue recently investigated a North Island intensive piggery where we documented disgusting conditions inside farrowing and fattening buildings. Sadly these conditions are nothing out of the ordinary - in fact they are the norm. The problem is not with isolated farms but with systems that treat animals as units of production - animal machines.  

Piglets in the fattening rooms were filthy and covered in flies. They were confined to pens in decrepit rooms inside a building that looked like it should be condemned.  

The sows confined to farrowing crates were clearly suffering. They all looked like they'd lost the will to live and were merely existing. They too were covered in flies and many had contact wounds on their backs from where they constantly rubbed against the crate bars confining them. Again they were imprisoned in a series of rooms that could only be described as miserable. Years worth of cobwebs and filth hung from the ceilings.  

We spent two hours inside this farm and felt a heavy sense of years and years worth of suffering and misery as we walked from room to room documenting everything.  

While it is a victory that sow stalls will be banned in five years, absolutely nothing has been done about farrowing crates which are just as cruel. The photographs of sows in crates from this investigation speak for themselves. The suffering of the sows is apparent in their eyes. To look at them up close and in the flesh, we felt it was like they'd given up all hope, felt no joy and knew they never would.  

Its up to the public of New Zealand to make real change for animals imprisoned on factory farms across our country. It was the public that forced a ban on sow stalls and it will be the public that sees an end to all factory farming. Its time for the people of New Zealand to say enough is enough! People power is the only thing that will force these cruel industries to change!  

Join us at the March to End Factory Farming, 5 March 2011, Wellington www.endfactoryfarming.org.nz
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15 months after New Zealand Open Rescue and former Pork Industry front man Mike King investigated Colin Kay’s Levin piggery, the Open Rescue team has inspected the farm again - only to find that, unbelievebly, the conditions for the pigs have actually worsened!

Spokesperson Deirdre Sims says, “Despite the massive public outcry following the Mike King pig farming expose, absolutely nothing has changed for these animals. The conditions we found recently at Colin Kay’s Levin pig farm were actually worse than what we witnessed with Mike King 15 months ago.

“We re-visited the very same sow stall shed that we took Mike into. As well as the legalised confinement the sows were suffering under in their tiny stalls, we also documented many sows with open, infected wounds - one of which had turned gangrenous.

“We discovered one sow with an injured ear. Her ear was massively swollen and bloody. Blood from this wound covered her face and body, the bars confining her and even the sow next to her.

“Prime Minister John Key said he found the first images from this farm 'very, very disturbing'. The fact that conditions on this farm have only gotten worse since the original expose is outrageous and appalling. Colin Kay's farm needs to be closed down immediately. It is completely unacceptable that the pigs on Kay's farm continue to suffer in these horrific conditions.

"The New Zealand public are largely compassionate people that care about the treatment and well being of animals. Open Rescue appeals to New Zealander's to use their consumer power to make change for animals confined on factory farms. Ultimately its the people of New Zealand that will force these cruel and archaic industries to change their abhorrent practices" says Ms. Sims.

New Zealand Open Rescue works to expose the cruelty behind the closed doors of intensive animal production. The organisation inspects farms across the country at random and always uncovers the same appalling cruelty. This is because the cruelty of these intensive industries is legally sanctioned, reducing our animal welfare legislation to a regulatory facade.

Our Animal Welfare Act and the Codes of Welfare offer no protection for these animals. Rather they are treated as mere production units instead of as the intelligent and sensitive creatures that they are. Factory farming must end.
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View photographs from today's civil disobedience here

Watch the TV3 news coverage here

New Zealand Open Rescue member John Darroch has today began an occupation of a pig farm near Cambridge, locking himself to a silo on the farm. Darroch is taking this action to draw attention to the cruelty inherent in factory farming. Supporters with banners, placards and pig costumes are also outside the farm. Darroch is prepared to stay in his position occupying the factory farm for up to two days.  

Darroch says, “Over the past month I have been in several pig farms in the Waikato. What I have seen is both shocking and sadly typical of factory farms in New Zealand.  

“It was heartbreaking to see sows who had just given birth. They were completely unable to carry out any of their natural behaviors and could do no more than stare as we walked around. These mother pigs would never be able to build a nest for their young or nurse them as they wanted.

“Today's action is not aimed at this particular farm, which is acting lawfully. It is aimed at an industry which is inherently cruel, and a government which refuses to act.”  

New Zealand Open Rescue believes the new draft Code of Welfare for pigs is inadequate. Sows can still be confined in crates for their entire lives until 2013, limited to 20 weeks by 2013 and 10 weeks 2018. When not in crates pigs will still be unable to enjoy life outdoors - sows are typically confined in barren concrete group housing while their piglets are confined in concrete fattening pens.  

“Even in the best case scenario proposed to be implemented in 2018 sows can still be confined in crates for 10 weeks per year. The rest of their life is likely to be in barren concrete group housing which isn't much better. NAWAC's previous history in ignoring public submissions gives me little faith that the situation will improve” says Darroch.  

New Zealand Open Rescue wishes to put pressure on Minister of Agriculture David Carter to fix up the loopholes in the Animal Welfare Act which allow Codes of Welfare to be implemented that to do not meet the basic principles of the Act.  
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