
For Immediate Release:
January 24, 2023
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Dayton, Va. â Following a just-released U.S. Department of Agriculture report revealing that turkeys suffocated to death after being shackled upside down at the Cargill Meat Solutions slaughterhouse in Dayton, PETA fired off a letter this morning to Rockingham County Commonwealthâs Attorney Marsha L. Garst calling on her to investigate and file applicable criminal charges against those responsible.
According to the report, on September 14 a federal official discovered that up to 40 male turkeys had been left hanging for up to 90 minutes with their legs clamped in the shackles typically used to convey birds through the slaughter line. Up to 10 of the birds had suffocated to death, and the survivors were gasping for air and flapping their wings so frantically that their bones had broken. Just five days later, an inspector found a distressed, gasping turkey with visibly broken bones trapped under a transport trailerâs tire. In the time it took the inspector to look for a staffer to assist, the bird died.
âIf someone left dogs to die under a truck or hanging from shackles, they would rightly be facing criminal charges, and these turkeys were also living, feeling beings protected by law,â says PETA Vice President of Evidence Analysis Daniel Paden. âPETA is calling on the commonwealthâs attorney to investigate and bring appropriate charges and reminds everyone that the only kind meal is a vegan one.â
PETA points out that turkeys, chickens, pigs, cows, sheep, and other animals feel pain and fear and value their lives, just as humans do. The group is pursuing charges under state law because federal officials havenât prosecuted any inspected slaughterhouses for acts of abuse and neglect such as those at Cargill Meat Solutionsâthe third-largest turkey-killing company in the U.S.âsince at least 2007.
PETAâwhose motto reads, in part, that âanimals are not ours to eatââopposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information on PETAâs investigative newsgathering and reporting, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
PETAâs letter to Garst follows.
January 24, 2023
The Honorable Marsha L. Garst
Rockingham County Commonwealthâs Attorney
Dear Ms. Garst:
Iâm writing to request that your office (and a local law-enforcement agency, as you deem appropriate) investigate and file applicable criminal charges against the individuals responsible for leaving turkeys hanging upside down to slowly suffocate to deathâand fatally running over another turkeyâat the Cargill Meat Solutions slaughterhouse located at 135 Huffman Dr. in Dayton. The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) documented the incidents in the attached report, which the agency just made available to the public.
According to the report, on September 14, 2022, an FSIS inspector found up to 40 male turkeys hanging upside down by their legs from the shackles normally used to convey birds through the slaughter line. FSIS personnel discovered that these animals had been hung up in that manner approximately 90 minutes earlierâand then left that way as a work shift ended. Up to 10 of the birds had died âfrom secondary asphyxia due to hanging and unable to right themselves.â Several survivors were âgasping for airâ and flapping their wings so rapidly that their bones had broken.
Five days later, FSIS staff found a turkey in âdistressâ and extending his neck to gasp for air, trapped by his legs and torso under a tire on a trailer used to haul birds. Two broken bones jutted from the birdâs right wing. An FSIS inspector immediately attempted to find Cargill staff to assist the bird âto no availâ and then discovered that the bird had died.
This conduct does not represent the otherwise-exempt âfarming activitiesâ and thus may violate Code of Virginia § 3.2-6570. Please note that FSISâ simple report on the matter carries no criminal or civil penalties and doesnât preempt criminal liability under state law for cruelty to animals. Thank you for your time and consideration and for the important work that you do.
Sincerely,
Daniel Paden
Vice President of Evidence Analysis
Cruelty Investigations Department
Source: Peta.org