An undercover video revealing the mistreatment and abuse of cows prompted the largest beef recall in the history of America in February, recalling 143 million pounds of beef and prompting concern about the safety of fast food restaurants and school lunch programs. Consequently, the treatment of farm animals has received increased attention, and when California residents go to cast their ballots next Tuesday they will be voting for or against the Prevention of Farm Animal Cruelty Act.
The Act, also known as Proposition 2, is sponsored by the Humane Society and seeks to end the inhumane treatment of animals, requiring them to be caged properly, with enough space to move comfortably. It requires that animals be able to stand up, lie down, turn around and extend their limbs.
Citing examples of cruelty, the Proposition 2 website mentions how veal calves are tethered in narrow crates that do not allow them to lie down, how female pigs develop joint disorders resulting from their tight confines and how caged hens live in less space than a letter-sized sheet of paper.
Proposition 2 has garnered widespread support, warranting mention on both Ellen Degeneres’ and Oprah Winfrey’s television shows as well as numerous print advertisements and YouTube videos. However, opposition has also been strong, with people citing potential health problems resulting from changed housing conditions for animals such as bird flu and salmonella poisoning, as well as increased costs and decreased revenue, as potential downfalls of the proposition’s enactment.
If passed, Proposition 2 would require factory farms to stop using severe methods of confinement by 2015, affecting almost 20 million animals, more than any other ballot in America’s history.
Source: BecauseAction.com
